Magnequench magnets status overview

The advent of neodymium-iron-boron materials having excellent magnetic properties and potential economic advantages has initiated a new era in permanent magnet technology. One method of making these magnets is by the rapid solidification process. It is typically carried out by melt spinning, which produces a highly stable, dmagnetically hard microstructure powder, directly from the melt. This can be used for bonded magnet applications. Alternatively, this powder can be hot pressed to produce fully dense isotropic magnets with energy products up to 15 MGOe. Anisotropic magnets with energy products ranging up to 50 MGOe can be produced by thermomechanical orientation or hot deformation process. Current processing and properties of Magnequench (General Motors) materials are reviewed, das well as the applications and advances of these materials. The advances include high-temperature bonded magnet and high-energy product anisotropic bonded and fully dense magnets.