STRUCTURAL AND MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF MECHANICALLY ALLOYED SM-X(FE1-YCOY)(100-X) NITRIDES

Structural and magnetic properties of mechanically alloyed (MA) sample s of Sm-x(Fe1-yCoy)(100-x)N-delta have been studied systematically. At y = 0, SmFe7Ndelta phase with hexagonal TbCu7 structure forms between compositions of x = 11 and 15, while alpha-Fe is easily generated for x < 11. For x > 15, SmFe7Ndelta phase can not be found. The magnetic properties of the samples with x = 12.5, annealed at 750 degrees C for 30 min and nitrided at 500 degrees C for 3 h, reach maxima. For the a lloys of Sm-x(Fe1-yCoy)(100-x)N-delta, it is found that the quantity o f N atoms in the samples decreases with increasing Co content (y value ), leading to the reduction of the magnetic properties (with exception of Curie temperature) of the samples. For the samples with y > 0.8, t he structure of the sample is of rhombohedral Th2Zn17 type. In this wo rk, N atoms cannot be introduced into the lattice of the samples with y = 1 and, therefore, their intrinsic magnetic properties are not impr oved by nitriding.