Magnetostrictive Sm1-xDxFe2/Fe composites from melt-spun precursors

We have fabricated magnetostrictive composites containing Sm1-xNdxFe2 in an Fe matrix by hot pressing. The magnetostrictive component was prepared by heat treating melt-spun precursors, a method we find capable for producing the MgCu2-type phase for Nd concentrations as large as x = 0.5. We report p hysical magnetic properties of the rapidly solidified precursor materials, as well as the magnetostriction lambda of Fe-based composites formed with t hem. The intrinsic coercivity H-ci of the melt-spun ribbons decreases from 2.0 kOe for SmFe2 to 0.5 kOe for Sm0.5Nd0.5Fe2. As x increases from 0 to 0. 5, lambda of the composites decreases roughly linearly with x from 430 to 8 0 ppm. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)08003-2].