EXPLOSIVE COMPACTION OF MAGNEQUENCH ND-FE-B MAGNETIC POWDERS

Magnequench NdFeB powders having high and low rare earth contents were explosively compacted to obtain cylindrical magnets. The magnetic pro perties were found to be isotropic and were superior to conventionally consolidated isotropic magnets. The (BH)(max) was 14.7 MGOe and the r emanence was 8.7 kG for the explosively compacted magnet with lower ra re earth content. X-ray diffraction patterns confirm the explosively c ompacted magnet to be crystalline and the predominant phase to be the 2-14-1 phase. Transmission electron microscopy examination showed a mi crostructure to consist of 20-25 nm size equiaxed grains consistent wi th the magnetic measurements. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.