Cast Rare Earth Alloys for Magnetic Materials Research

Abstract

The materials cast, analysed and supplied to research groups forming the Concerted European Action on Magnets (CEAM) are described in this paper. In the early stages of the research two compositions were selected by the processing group, these were supplied in quantities sufficient to manufacture magnets for comparative purposes. Alloys have also been produced under various casting conditions enabling microstructural investigations of changing cooling rates by members of the processing group. During the course of collaboration with CEAM researchers, a multiplicity of alloy compositions have been supplied, culminating in production of samarium-iron alloys for wide distribution. The information presented in this paper covers input materials, the nominal compositions of alloys, reported analytical results on major and impurity elements, and the ingot morphologies used in the cooling rate experiments.