Bypassing electrolysis: one-step calciothermic route from Nd2O3 to Nd2Fe14B

CMI researchers from Ames National Laboratory conducted the activity for this highlight

Innovation 
Calciothermic production of low-oxygen, nearly Ca-free NdFeB powder.

Achievement
Nearly complete removal of Ca reaction byproducts from the Nd2Fe14B powder confirmed by analytical methods (ICP-MS, Phoenix Tailings) and EDX mapping (Ames National Laboratory).

Significance and Impact
One-step calciothermic procedure circumvents neodymium metallization process through direct production of Nd2Fe14B permanent magnets from Nd2O3 and Fe, paving the way for domestic, environmentally benign permanent magnet production. 

Hub Target Addressed

  • Developing novel materials processing methods
  • Energy-efficient rare earth metals production
Color-coded EDX map of synthesized NdFeB powder showing negligible amount of Ca (small green in the lower left corner).
Color-coded EDX map of synthesized NdFeB powder showing negligible amount of Ca (small green in the lower left corner).