Magnetic hardening of Nd-Ce-Fe-B films with high Ce concentration

Partial substitution of Ce in Nd-Fe-B magnets is a feasible way to cope with the crisis of Nd and Dy in Nd-Fe-B production and reduce the cost of Nd-Fe-B magnets. In the present paper, the Nd-Ce-Fe-B films with high performance have been successfully fabricated by using an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) magnetron sputtering system. High magnetic performance with a ceorcivity of 13.3 kOe, a remanence of 11.4 kGs and a maximum energy product of 29.4 GMOe is obtained with the Ce substitution for more than 50 wt.% Nd without Dy addition. The high coercivity and (BH)max achieved in this work are much larger than those of previously reported Nd-Ce-Fe-B magnets with the same Ce concentration. The phase structure, microstructure and coercivity mechanism are analyzed. The coercivity mechanism is determined to be mainly dominated by nucleation. Based on the microstructure observation and coercivity mechanism analysis, the fine and well separated grains, smooth grain surface, small and less inhomogeneities should be responsible for the high coercivity. Our results encourage the further improvement of magnetic properties in Ce magnets including the bulk material with high Ce concentration.