Advancing coercivity in Ce2Fe17N3-based alloys

CMI researchers at Ames National Laboratory conducted the research for this highlight

Innovation
Novel Ce/Fe-based magnets for U.S. national needs.

Achievement 

  • Established a new class of Fe-rich, critical-element-free alloys with strong uniaxial anisotropy via theory-guided, strategic elemental tuning of Ce2Fe17.
  • Achieved coercivity Hc > 3 kOe in nitrogenated (Ce,Sm)2Fe17 through optimized Ce/Sm substitution and ball-milling processing.
  • Delivered high magnetic performance with Ms > 15 kG, Mr > 12 kG and Tc > 700 K, enabling aligned powders to reach (BH)max ≈ 16 MGOe.

Significance and Impact
Novel Fe-based critical-element-free permanent magnet material that uses domestic earth-abundant, inexpensive, Ce.

Hub Goal Addressed
Accelerated magnet discovery and maturation. Prototyping of REE-reduced or REE-free permanent magnets.
 

Third quarter hysteresis loops of aligned powder in Ce2Fe17N3-based alloys through optimized Ce/Sm substitution and ball-milling processing, with coercivities as high as 3.1 kOe.
Third quarter hysteresis loops of aligned powder in Ce2Fe17N3-based alloys through optimized Ce/Sm substitution and ball-milling processing, with coercivities as high as 3.1 kOe.