SITE OCCUPANCY OF ZR IN ND(FEZR)B MAGNET DURING HYDROGENATION DISPROPORTIONATION DESORPTION RECOMBINATION PROCESS

In order to elucidate the role of Zr addition for the evolution of mag netic anisotropy in hydrogenation disproportionation desorption recomb ination treated NdFeB magnets, Zr site occupancy in Nd16Fe75.5Zr0.5B8 alloy has been investigated by means of x-ray absorption fine structur e. Zr is found to occupy preferably the Fe(j(2)) sites in the Nd2Fe14B structure for the as-cast state and keeps this position in the dispro portionated stage. Zr( j(2)) sites are situated at the position connec ting two Fe-hexagonal nets where strong Fe-Zr bondings stabilize Nd2Fe 14B structure against disproportionation. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(98)04343-5].