中文摘要：

室温磁制冷技术具有环保、可靠性好、效率高等优点，被认为是一种很有前景的新型制冷技术。概述了磁性材料的磁热效应概念以及磁热效应大小的表征方法，详细介绍了目前Gd5Si2Ge2、La（FeSi）13、RECo2及RE2Fe17等系列化合物稀土磁制冷材料的研究现状，并简要对比和评价了不同材料的相关性能，展望了室温稀土磁制冷材料的发展前景。

英文摘要：

Room temperature magnetic refrigeration is a new refrigerant technique. The fundametal theories and the methods of measurement of magnetocaloric effect are described. The progress in research on rare earth magnetic refrigerant materials, such as Gd5 Si2 Ge2, La（FeSi）13, RECo2 and RE2 Fe17 series compounds and so on, is reviewed. The properties of different materials are compared and appraised briefly. The development prospect of rare earth magnetic refrigerant materials at room temperature is outlined.