High-performance critical-element free alloys based on Ce2Fe17N3

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

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

Achievement
Theory-guided development of the new critical-element-free Fe-rich alloy with strong uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy through elemental modification of the paramagnetic Ce₂Fe₁₇ phase.
Nitrogenation of (Ce,Sm)₂Fe₁₇ with 50/50 Ce/Sm atomic mixing leads to strong uniaxial ferromagnetism in Ce₂Fe₁₇N_x with Ms ~ 14.5 kG, Ha ~ 90 kOe, Tc ~ 730 K and theoretical
(BH)max ~ 53 MGOe.

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

Hub Target Addressed
Accelerated magnet discovery and maturation.

image of line graph — Figure. Anisotropic magnetization along and perpendicular to the easy magnetization direction, easy axis (see inset) in ~(Ce0.5Sm0.5)2Fe17Nx material showing anisotropy field Ha of ~ 90 kOe at the crossing point, whereas the Ms reaches ~ 14.5 kG, with Curie temperature of ~ 730 K.