Properties of hard magnetic Cu-Ni-Fe alloys

Magnetic properties of highly oriented rolled Cu-Ni-Fe alloys are examined to obtain a more detailed understanding of magnetic anisotropy and the process of magnetization reversal. Torque curves and electron micrographs confirm the existence of the predominating effect on the coercivity of the shape anisotropy which accompanies a spinodal decomposition. From the dependences of squareness ratio and coercivity on the angle between alignment (roll) direction and measuring field, the mechanism of magnetization reversal of the alloy is explained quantitatively by the curling model considering the interaction field. Comparison of the observed and predicted values for the rotational hysteresis integral indicates strongly that the curling takes place in magnetization reversal.