We　studied　the　influence　of　Al　doping　on　the　crystal　structure　and　magnetocaloric　properties　of　Mn1.2Fe0.8P1-xGexAly　compounds　prepared　by　spark　plasma　sintering,　with　x　=　0.24,　0.25,　0.26　and　y　=　0,　0.004,　0.008,　0.010　or　0.12.　These　compounds　have　the　same　Fe2P-type　structure　(space　group　P　(6)　over　bar　2m)　as　the　undoped　system,　and　we　found　that　the　addition　of　Al　had　significant　effects　on　the　hexagonal　unit　cell　of　the　compound　and　its　physical　properties.　As　y　increased,　the　lattice　parameter　a　and　cell　volume　increased,　the　lattice　parameter　c　decreased,　the　thermal　hysteresis　(Delta　T-hys)　decreased,　and　the　Curie　temperature　(T-c)　became　significantly　higher　than　at　y　=　0.　The　variations　of　T-c　and　Delta　T-hys　correlated　almost　linearly　with　variation　in　the　c/a　ratio,　indicating　that　T-c　can　be　increased　with　Al　doping.　In　addition,　Al　doping　did　not　have　any　adverse　effects　on　other　magnetocaloric　properties,　such　as　the　entropy　change,　adiabatic　temperature　change,　and　the　temperature　range　of　the　coexistence　of　the　paramagnetic　and　ferromagnetic　phases.　We　also　found　that　the　magnetocaloric　properties　of　Mn1.2Fe0.8P1-xGexAly　compounds　could　be　improved　by　homogenous　annealing.　The　particular　composition　Mn1.2Fe0.8P0.74　Ge0.26Al0.010　exhibited　a　Tc　close　to　room　temperature　(292.2　K)　with　a　hysteresis　of　Delta　T-hys　2.1　K,　making　it　a　very　promising　material　for　magnetic　refrigeration　around　room　temperature.　(C)　2015　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.