MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF SM-(FE,CO)-N MAGNETS CONTAINING SMALL ADDITIONS OF GA

Addition of small amounts of Ga (up to 1 at.%) to mechanically alloyed Sm-(Fe,Co)-N magnets was investigated. The coercivity initially incre ased (up to 0.25 at.%) and then decreased for higher Ga contents. The remanence adversely followed the coercivity being lowest for 0.25 at.% Ga. The addition of Ga up to 1 at.% did not change the phase constitu tion of the alloys. A small decrease of the Curie temperature and incr ease of the decomposition temperature of the Sm-2(Fe,Co,Ga)(17)N-x pha se were observed. The change of the magnetic parameters is considered to be caused by the change of lattice constants and interstices size w hich affect the amount of nitrogen dissolved in the Sm-2(Fe,Co,Ga)(17) lattice. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.