TOWARD LOW-ENERGY SPARK PLASMA SINTERING OF HOT-DEFORMED Nd-Fe-B MAGNETS

In this work, we present a newly developed, economically efficient method for processing rare-earth Nd-Fe-B magnets based on spark plasma sintering. It makes us possible to retain the technologically essential properties of the produced magnet by consuming about 30% of the energy as compared to the conventional SPS process. A magnet with anisotropic microstructure was fabricated from MQU F commercial ribbons by low energy consumption (0.37 MJ) during the deformation process and compared to the conventionally prepared hot-deformed magnet, which consumed 3-times more energy (1.2 MJ). Both magnets were post-annealed at 650 °C for 120 min in a vacuum. After the postannealing process, the low-energy processing (LEP) hot-deformed magnet showed a coercivity of 1327 kAm-1, and remanent magnetization of 1.27 T. In comparison, the highenergy processing (HEP) hot-deformed magnet had a coercivity of 1337 kAm-1 and a remanent magnetization of 1.31 T. Complete microstructural characterization and detailed statistical analyses revealed a better texture orientation for the HEP hot-deformed magnet processed by high energy consumption, which is the main reason for the difference in remanent magnetization between the two hot-deformed magnets. The results show that, although the LEP hot-deformed magnet was processed by three times lower energy consumption than in a typical hot-deformation process, the maximum energy product is only 8 % lower than the maximum energy product of a HEP hot-deformed magnet.

Bulk Nanocrystalline Permanent Magnets by Selective Laser Melting

Fe-Nd-B powders were processed by additive manufacturing using laboratory scale selective laser melting to produce bulk nanocrystalline permanent magnets. The manufacturing process was carried out in a specially developed process chamber under Ar atmosphere. This resulted in novel types of microstructures with micrometer scale clusters of nanocrystalline hard magnetic grains. Owing to this microstructure, a maximum coercive field strength (coercivity) μ0Hc of 1.16 T, a remanence Jr of 0.58 T, and a maximum energy product (BH)max of 62.3 kJ/mm3could, for example, be obtained for the composition Nd16.5-Pr1.5-Zr2.6-Ti2.5-Co2.2-Fe65.9-B8.8.

Additive Manufacturing of Anisotropic Sm-Fe-N Nylon Bonded Permanent Magnets

Fabricating a bonded magnet with a near-net shape in suitable thermoplastic polymer binders is of paramount importance in the development of cost-effective energy technologies. In this work, anisotropic Sm2Fe17N3 (Sm-Fe-N) bonded magnets are additively printed using Sm-Fe-N anisotropic magnetic particles in a polymeric binder polyamide-12 (PA12). The anisotropic bonded permanent magnets are fabricated by Big Area Additive Manufacturing followed by post-aligned in a magnetic field. Optimal post-alignment results in an enhanced remanence of ~ 0.68 T in PA12 reflected in a parallel-oriented (aligned) measured direction. The maximum energy product achieved for the additively printed anisotropic bonded magnet of Sm-Fe-N in PA12 polymer is 78.8 KJ m-3. Our results show advanced processing flexibility of additive manufacturing for the development of Sm-Fe-N bonded magnets in polymer media designed for applications with no critical rare earth magnets.

Correlation between Microstructure and Magnetism in Ball-Milled SmCo5/α-Fe (5%wt. α-Fe) Nanocomposite Magnets

Magnetic nanocomposites SmCo5/α-Fe were synthesized mechanically by high-energy ball milling (HEBM) from SmCo5 and 5%wt. of α-Fe powders. The X-ray diffraction analysis reveals the hexagonal 1:5 phase as the main one accompanied by the cubic α-Fe phase and 2:17 rhombohedral as the secondary phase. The content of each detected phase is modified throughout the synthesis duration. A significant decrease in crystallite size with a simultaneous increase in lattice straining is observed. A simultaneous gradual reduction in particle size is noted from the microstructural analysis. Magnetic properties reveal non-linear modification of magnetic parameters associated with the strength of the exchange coupling induced by various duration times of mechanical synthesis. The highest value of the maximum energy product (BH)max at room temperature is estimated for samples milled for 1 and 6 h. The intermediate mixed-valence state of Sm ions is confirmed by electronic structure analysis. An increase in the Co magnetic moment versus the milling time is evidenced based on the performed fitting of the Co3s core level lines.

Effect of Rare-Earth Co-Doping on the Microstructural and Magnetic Properties of BaFe12O19

Ba0.85(La,Y)0.15Fe12O19 hexaferrite magnets were produced using the powder metallurgy method. The phase analysis of the ferrite magnets was carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. A single hexaferrite phase was present in both samples as revealed by XRD patterns. The microstructural evolution in the hexaferrite samples was examined using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) equipped with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS). The grain morphology altered with the sintering temperature. Room temperature ferrimagnetic hysteresis curves were obtained by Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM). The crystallite size and the lattice parameters (a,c) were also calculated after sintering at 1150ºC and 1250ºC. Saturation magnetizations, Ms were determined to be 48.60 emu/g and 52.95 emu/g for the samples sintered at 1150ºC and 1250ºC, respectively whereas the remanent magnetizations, Mr were 29.26 emu/g and 31.17 emu/g. The coercivity, Hc decreased from 3.95 kOe to the value of 2.44 kOe with the sintering temperature due to the increase of the crystallite size. The squareness ratios (Mr/Ms) of the ferrimagnetic samples were different because the uniaxial anisotropies altered after sintering at 1150ºC and 1250ºC. The maximum energy product, (BH)max dropped from 35.81 kJ/m3 to 27.38 kJ/m3 when the sintering temperature increased. This result can be attributed to a combination of higher magnetization and the lower coercivity.

Reconfigurable 3D-printable magnets with improved maximum energy product

This work establishes a new way to prepare reconfigurable printable magnets based on Wax/CoFe2O4 nanoparticles for advanced applications.

High-Throughput Screening of Rare-Earth-Lean Intermetallic 1-13-X Compounds for Good Hard-Magnetic Properties

By computational high-throughput screening, the spontaneous magnetization M s , uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant K 1 , anisotropy field H a , and maximum energy product ( B H ) max are estimated for ferromagnetic intermetallic phases with a tetragonal 1-13-X structure related to the LaCo 9 Si 4 structure type. For SmFe 13 N, a ( B H ) max as high as that of Nd 2 Fe 14 B and a comparable K 1 are predicted. Further promising candidates of composition SmFe 12 AN with A = Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ti, V, Al, Si, or P are identified which potentially reach (BH) max values higher than 400 kJ/m 3 combined with significant K 1 values, while containing almost 50% less rare-earth atoms than Nd 2 Fe 14 B.