skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Effect of ball milling and heat treatment process on MnBi powders magnetic properties

Journal Article · · Journal of Alloys and Compounds

The metallic compound MnBi has high intrinsic coercivity with large positive temperature coefficient. The coercivity of MnBi exceeds 12 kOe and 26 kOe at 300 K and 523 K, respectively. Hence MnBi is a good candidate for the hard phase in exchange coupled nanocomposite magnets. In order to maximize the loading of the soft phase, the size of the MnBi particle has to be close to 500 nm, the size of single magnetic domain. Low energy milling is the common method to reduce MnBi particle size. However, only 3-7 mu m size particle can be achieved without significant decomposition. Here, we report our effort on preparing submicron MnBi powders using traditional powder metallurgy methods. Mn55Bi45 magnetic powders were prepared using arc melting method, followed by a series of thermal-mechanical treatment to improve purity, and finished with low energy ball milling at cryogenic temperature to achieve submicron particle size. The Mn55Bi45 powders were decomposed during ball milling process and recovered during 24 h 290 degrees C annealing process. With increasing ball-milling time, the saturation magnetization of MnBi decreases, while the coercivity increases. Annealing after ball milling recovers some of the magnetization, indicating the decomposition occurred during the ball-milling process can be reversed. The coercivity of Mn55Bi45 powders are also improved as a result of the heat treatment at 290 degrees C for 24 h. The world record magnetization 71.2 emu/g measured applying a field of 23 kOe has been achieved via low energy ball mill at room temperature

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
1337279
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-119027; CJ0100000
Journal Information:
Journal of Alloys and Compounds, Vol. 680, Issue C; ISSN 0925-8388
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Optimizing composition in MnBi permanent magnet alloys
Journal Article · Mon Oct 07 00:00:00 EDT 2019 · Acta Materialia · OSTI ID:1337279

Effect of composition and heat treatment on MnBi magnetic materials
Journal Article · Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Acta Materialia · OSTI ID:1337279

Effect of Composition and Heat Treatment on MnBi Magnetic Materials
Journal Article · Sun Aug 17 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Acta Materialia, 79:374-381 · OSTI ID:1337279

Related Subjects