Title
Overcoming Mechanical Fragility in Sm-Co Permanent Magnet Materials
Publication Date
7-3-2020
Department
Ames Laboratory; Materials Science and Engineering
Campus Units
Ames Laboratory, Materials Science and Engineering
OSTI ID+
1644043
Report Number
IS-J 10274
DOI
10.1016/j.actamat.2020.06.058
Journal Title
Acta Materialia
Volume Number
196
First Page
528
Last Page
538
Abstract
Samarium-cobalt alloys are used in some of the strongest permanent magnets, particularly for applications between about 200 and 550°C, but the utilization of these materials is restricted by their brittleness. Improving their mechanical resilience would allow them to be used more widely and, in some cases, substitute for neodymium-based magnet alloys which are subject to supply-chain risks. We have engineered a series of novel microstructures with bi-modal grain size distributions to achieve unprecedented combinations of mechanical and magnetic properties. Improvements up to 73% are obtained in the flexural strength of Sm2(CoFeCuZr)17 sintered magnets, with negligible impact on the magnetic properties. Our mechanically-robust, high-performance Sm-Co magnets are made without changing the chemical compositions of the materials or their heat treatment procedures, making them highly compatible with existing manufacturing processes.
DOE Contract Number(s)
AC02-07CH11358
Language
en
Publisher
Iowa State University Digital Repository, Ames IA (United States)
