Hot deformation in nanocrystalline Nd-Fe-B backward extruded rings

Radially oriented Nd-Fe-B rings are prepared by backward extrusion of fine grained melt-spun powder. Melt-spun powder with the nominal composition of Nd30.5Febal. Co6.0Ga0.6Al0.2B0.9 (wt%) is used as starting material. The effects of process variables, such as deformation temperature (T-d), strain rate ((epsilon) over dot) and height reduction (Delta h%), on the magnetic properties of the rings are investigated. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with an energy spectrum device is used to study the metallograph and microfracture of the extruded rings. The B-r and (BH)(max) reach the optimum values at T-d - 800 degrees C, (epsilon) over dot - 0.01 mm/s, and Delta h% - 70%. It is found by SEM observations that the particle boundaries, which seemingly correspond to the interfaces of the starting melt-spun powders, emerge after the corrosion of metallography specimens. This is helpful for studying the effects of powder-powder interface on the local deformation and deformation homogeneity in the rings. For different spatial positions of the extruded rings, there are characteristic metallographies and microfractures. The upper end of the rings has the least deformation and worst texture, and therefore the worst magnetic properties. The magnetic properties in the radial direction increase slightly along the axis from the bottom to the middle, then steeply decrease at the upper end of the ring. The deformation and the formation-of-texturing processes are discussed. The deformation and the texturing formation of melt-spun Nd-Fe-B alloys probably involve grain boundary sliding and grain rotation, the solution-precipitation process and preferential growth of Nd2Fe14B nanograins along the easy growth a-axis.