This CMI-funded research was conducted at Ames Laboratory
Achievement:
- Exploring the phase spaces with volatile and/or highly reactive components resulted in discovery a new Zn-containing magnetic system
- Ferromagnetism exists from the CeCo5 to the intermediate CeCo2.75Zn2.25
- Curious increase of coercivity in the as-cast material with a clear maximum of Hc = 12 kOe near Zn = 1.75 at 5K, without pinning precipitates detected
Significance and Impact:
Ce-based magnets, with potential to serve as gap magnet, can be economically viable in terms of material and processing costs, potentially displacing use of other RE magnets in some applications
Details and Next Steps:
- The large coercivity in the as-cast sample is very curious and indicates unique pinning mechanisms
- Future steps include efforts on understanding the coercivity mechanism