Magnetic properties and phase structure in CeFeB strip-cast permanent magnets

The high properties of permanent magnets containing rare-earth metals are well known. Neodymium, however, is one of the less abundant of the rare-earth metals^[1]. Some attempts has been carried out to decrease the amount of neodymium required by the substitution of cerium, a more abundant, and therefore less expensive, rare-earth metal^[2]. In this paper, we present a study of Ce_xFe_balB₆(x=12,14,17,19,23wt.%) ternary alloys. These alloys are cast as strips by melt spinning technique at a quench wheel velocity of 20m/s(continuous strips with thickness is 2065μm). After casting, the strips are annealed in the temperature range of 400600 for 30 min under 2.7T magnetic field. Magnetic properties are tested by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Phase structures are carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD) with Cu radiation and the micromorphology of the as-cast and heat-treated strips are examined using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM/HRTEM).