Thermodynamic assessment of the RE-B (RE = Ce, Dy, Lu) binary systems

Abstract Phase equilibria and thermodynamic properties of Nd-Fe-B-based alloys are fundamental to design novel Nd-Fe-B-based permanent magnets with outstanding magnetic properties and lower costs. In order to develop thermodynamic database of multi-component Nd-Fe-B-based alloys with the rare earth (RE) metals, in this work, the RE-B (RE = Ce, Dy, Lu) binary systems were assessed thermodynamically using the CALPHAD method based on the available phase diagram and thermodynamic data reported in the literature. In the thermodynamic modeling, the solution phases including liquid, bcc, fcc, hcp and rhombohedral, are described as the substitutional solution model and their excess Gibbs energies are described by Redlich-Kister polynomial. The binary intermetallic compounds, CeB4, CeB6, DyB2, DyB4, DyB6, DyB12, DyB66, LuB2, LuB4, LuB12 and LuB66, are treated as the stoichiometric compounds considering the experimental heat capacities and enthalpy increments of some intermetallic compounds. The calculated results are in good agreement with the reported experimental data.