Research Highlights

Sm2Fe17N3 as a cost-effective high-performance magnet

CMI researchers at Ames Laboratory conducted the research for this highlight

Hysteresis loops for Sm2Fe17 nitrided at 1 bar N2 pressure, yielding incomplete nitrogenation and low coercivity (red), and for sample nitrided at 100 bar, yielding full nitrogenation to Sm2Fe17N3 with ~ 8 kOe coercivity.

Critical hydrogen pressure for HDDR-formed NdFeB powder

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

H2 pressure dependence degree of anisotropy DOA (black circle) and coercivity Hci, (red square) in HDDR Nd14Fe77.9B7Al1Cu0.1 magnetic powder. DOA is defined as the normalized difference between the remanence at aligned state and that at non-aligned state for the same sample.

Novel fabrication for high-performance small magnets

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

M-H loops of the processed thin magnet (in plane).

Rationally designed rare earth separation by selective oxalate solubilization

CMI researchers at Ames Laboratory conducted the research for this highlight

Ionic radii and comparative extraction factor as a function of different REEs.

Heterogeneous grain engineering overcomes mechanical fragility in Sm-Co magnets A

CMI researchers at Ames Laboratory collaborated with industry partner Energy Electron Corporation on the research for this highlight.

Cluster bi-modal (two grain sizes) magnet

Modeling mechanical properties in Sm-Co magnets

CMI researchers at Ames Laboratory used microstructural modeling to reveal an optimum concentration of a strengthening phase necessary for enhanced mechanical properties.

3D Microstructure of Sm-Co magnet with 1 vol.% MgO particles (yellow particles).

Potential 20+ MGOe Ce-based Co-lean magnet

CMI researchers at Ames Laboratory grew a single crystalline material with high magnetic properties at high temperature

Intrinsic properties of the 1:7-type Zr-doped Co-lean Ce-magnet in comparison with similar 2:17- and 1:5-matrials. The 1:7-type material is the middle point that allows potential energy products of Ce-magnets > 20 MGOe, by coupling high Ms of 2:17 with high Ha of 1:5.

Rapid response electromagnetically driven calorimeter

CMI researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Ames Laboratory a fully functional calorimeter, which operates at high heating rates via induction heating and with static magnetic fields, has been granted a patent.

A fully functional calorimeter which operates at high heating rates via induction heating and with static magnetic fields has been granted a patent.

High-Entropy Alloys Design and Origin of Properties

We employ our first-principles DFT-based electronic-structure approach to assess stability of phases of alloys with arbitrary compositions and Bravais lattices. In addition, DFT-based linear-response theory is utilized to predict Warren-Cowley short-range order (SRO), revealing competing long-range ordered phases.

Vacancy-Mediated Order in Refractory High-Entropy Alloys

Phase selection in Ti-Zr-Hf-Alx high-entropy alloys (x from 0 to 1) was investigated by density-functional-theory based electronic-structure methods that correctly address disorder and vacancies (missing atom defects found at processing temperatures).