High magnetic performance in isotropic α-Fe+Sm2Fe17N<i>x</i>

Abstract

The structure and magnetic properties of nanocrystalline, two-phase Sm2Fe17Nx+α-Fe alloys prepared by mechanical alloying and heat treatment have been studied. Remanence enhancement and single-phase magnetic behavior were observed in isotropic powders crystallized at low temperatures (about 600 °C), while crystallization at high temperatures resulted in two-phase demagnetization curves due to increase of the grain size of the soft phase. With increasing Sm concentration the coercivity increased and the remanent magnetization decreased.