MICROSTRUCTURE ANALYSIS OF NANOCRYSTALLINE FE-ND-B RIBBONS WITH ENHANCED HARD MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES

The structure of melt-spun, crystallographically isotropic Fe84Nd10B6 alloy ribbon has been studied by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The ribbon was spun so as to give a nanocrystalline struc ture, which led to enhancement of remanence and energy product but, ow ing to the low Nd content and consequently high Fe concentration, the alloy contained magnetically soft alpha-Fe particles, in addition to t he stoichiometric Fe84Nd2B phase. The identification of the phases by lattice imaging and energy-dispersive microanalysis is presented and t he relationship between the microstructure and the enhanced magnetic p roperties is briefly discussed.