STRUCTURAL AND MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF RAPIDLY QUENCHED (R,ZR)(FE,CO)(10)N-X (R=ND,SM)

The structural and magnetic properties of (R,Zr)(Fe,Co)(10)(R=Nd,Sm) p repared by the rapid-quenching method have been investigated. The pres ence of zirconium makes it possible to realize a TbCu7-type crystal st ructure with a high cia ratio of more than 0.87, while the same crysta l structure has a c/a ratio of just 0.84-0.85 in the zirconium-free ca se. The saturation magnetization of crystals having such a high c/a ra tio as 0.87 exceeds 1.7 T at room temperature. These materials can be nitrogenated, and remarkable enhancement of magnetocrystalline anisotr opy by nitrogenation can be seen in the case of Sm. The magnetic harde ning of these nitrogenated materials can be achieved by annealing befo re nitrogenation. The highest value of (BH)(max) obtained so far for t he nitrogenated materials is 144 kJ/m(3) (18.0 MGOe). The H-i(c) and B -r values for this sample are 503 kA/m (6.3 kOe) and 1.08 T, respectiv ely. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.