Substitution of Ce for (Nd,Pr) in Melt-Spun (Nd,Pr)–Fe–B Powders

The effect of Ce substitution for (Nd,Pr) on structure, microstructure, and magnetic properties of [(Nd _0.75 Pr _0.25 ) _1-x Ce _x ] _11.65 Fe _82.75 B _5.6 (x = 0-0.5) melt-spun powders has been studied. It has been found that all Ce-substituted powder samples retain the R ₂ Fe ₁₄ B (R = Nd, Pr, Ce) single-phase structure with a similar grain size in the range of 20-22 nm. While Ce substitution leads to lower magnetic properties, lower Curie temperature, and higher flux aging loss in bonded magnets, (Nd,Pr,Ce)-Fe-B melt-spun powders with up to 50% Ce substitution exhibit acceptable overall room-temperature magnetic properties and improved magnetization behavior, and offer a potential low-cost alternative product for low-to-moderate-temperature applications.