Effect of ingot cooling rate on Cu distribution and magnetic properties of Sm(CobalFe0.28Cu0.07Zr0.03)7.6 magnets

The Sm(CobalFe0.28Cu0.07Zr0.03)7.6 magnets were made by a casting process with two different cooling rates. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the main phase of the two as-cast alloys consist of 1:5, 1:7, and 2:17 (hexagonal) phase. While a few of rhombohedral 2:17 phases appear in the ingots with the lower cooling rate. The electron probe micro-analysis and corresponding wavelength dispersive x-ray results indicate that a higher cooling rate of the as-cast alloy is helpful to the uniformity of Cu element distribution in the ingots and magnets, especially for suppressing the formation of 2:17 R phase in ingots. The coercivity and squareness of magnet prepared from ingot with higher cooling rate increase by 72 and 48 percentage, respectively. The microstructure observation shows that some cell boundaries are destroyed in the magnet made by lower cooling rate, while the cell boundaries are well developed in the magnet made by higher cooling rate.