Title: Nano-structured YCo₅ alloy with enhanced hard magnetic properties

Authors: J.T. Elizalde Galindo, J.A. Matutes Aquino, H.A. Davies

Addresses: Centro de Investigacion de Materiales Avanzados (CIMAV), Miguel de Cervantes 120, Complejo Industrial Chihuahua, C.P. 31109, Chihuahua, Chih., Mexico. ' Centro de Investigacion de Materiales Avanzados (CIMAV), Miguel de Cervantes 120, Complejo Industrial Chihuahua, C.P. 31109, Chihuahua, Chih., Mexico. ' Department of Engineering Materials, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK

Abstract: Enhanced hard magnetic properties were obtained by the mechanical milling of cast Y_1.07Co₅ alloy and subsequently annealing the powder. The best magnetic properties have been obtained in powders milled for four hours, annealed in high vacuum at 830°C for 2.5 minutes and quenched in water, with a coercivity of 10.2 kOe, and a high σ_r/σ_max ratio of 0.69. Microstructure studies show that the annealed powders have a nearly single phase YCo₅ structure with an average grain size of 20 nm. The enhanced hard magnetic properties are attributed to the high anisotropy field of the YCo₅ phase and to the magnetic exchange interactions associated with the nanoscale grain size.

Keywords: magnetic materials; nanostructured materials; hard magnets; magnetic properties; nanomaterials; nanotechnology; milling; microstructure; annealing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMPT.2006.010674

International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, 2006 Vol.27 No.1/2, pp.85 - 90

Published online: 16 Aug 2006 *

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