Bulk Mn-Al-C permanent magnets prepared by various techniques

Bulk Mn-Al-C magnets have been prepared by hot-compaction, microwave sintering and hot-deformation. Powders of Mn53.5Al44.5C2 alloy in the ε-phase produced by high energy ball milling have been used as precursor for the hot-compacted and microwave sintered magnets. Hot-deformed magnets were produced from alloy pieces in the τ-phase. The hot-compacted magnet exhibits magnetization, remanence and coercivity of 50 emu/g, 28 emu/g and 3.3 kOe, respectively. Microwave sintered magnet shows a maximum magnetization of 94 emu/g, remanence of 30 emu/g and coercivity of 1.1 kOe. The best magnetic properties are obtained in hot-deformed magnets with magnetization, remanence, coercivity and energy product of 82 emu/g, 50 emu/g, 2.2 kOe and 1.8 MGOe, respectively. Hot-deformed magnets exhibit texture with the highest degree of texture obtained 0.26. It is found that the pressure applied during compaction/deformation favors coercivity.