JPH06145880A - Improved magnetic material and its manufacturing process - Google Patents

Abstract

A process is provided for modifying the magnetic properties of an intermetallic compound comprising at least iron, or a combination of iron with at least one transition metal, and at least one rare earth element. The process comprises heating the intermetallic compound in a reaction gas containing at least one element of groups IIIA, IVA or VIA of the Periodic Table in the gaseous phase to interstitially incorporate the element or elements of these groups into the crystal lattice of the intermetallic compound. Novel magnetic materials showing easy uniaxial anisotropy, increased spontaneous magnetization and Curie temperatures are produced by the process.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to new and improved magnetic materials, a process for their production and their use for producing permanent magnets.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Magnets are used as elements in devices such as electric motors, electric generators, focusing elements, lifting mechanisms, keys, levitating devices, antifriction mounts, etc. in the engineering and scientific fields. Has many uses in. Three unique properties are important in using magnetic materials to make permanent magnets. These are the Curie temperature (Tc), that is, the temperature at which the permanent magnet loses its magnetism, the spontaneous magnetic moment (Ms) per unit volume, and the easy uniaxial anisotropy that is typically represented by the anisotropic magnetic field Ba. is there. The Curie temperature is of particular importance. This is because it indicates the maximum temperature at which the device having the magnet can be used.

During the last century, much work has been devoted to developing magnetic materials that combine high Curie temperatures and improved magnetic moments with strong uniaxial anisotropy. For many years, AlNiCo type magnetic materials have been used in practical permanent magnets. In the latter half of the 1960s, it was found that rare earth alloys, especially samarium alloyed with cobalt, have better magnetism as permanent magnets than the AlNiCo type. The compounds of samarium and cobalt have provided magnets that have been particularly successful in many applications where magnets with high energy products are required. However, due to the high cost of cobalt as a raw material, researchers at the beginning of the 1980s found that by combining cheaper and more abundant iron with magnetically superior rare earth elements, permanent magnets with improved magnetism. Considering the possibility of manufacturing.

Sumitomo Special Metals and General Motors separately provide an intermetallic compound Nd ₂ Fe ₁₄ B which has a lower Curie temperature than Sm-Co materials but can be used to produce magnets with excellent energy products. like,
We have developed a magnetic material that combines rare earth elements and iron with boron as the third element incorporated. These Nd
The -Fe-B magnetic material can have a Curie temperature of up to 320 ° C and is described in particular in three European patent applications, European Patent Application Publication Nos. 0101552, 0106948 and 0108474. These boride derivatives represent the state of the art in magnet technology. But these are somewhat unstable in air,
In spite of having a Curie temperature of more than 300 ° C, which changes chemically and gradually loses its magnetism, it is actually 1
Not suitable for use at temperatures above 50 ° C.

[0005] The fact that incorporating boron into the crystal lattice of intermetallic compounds containing rare earth elements and iron helps improve magnetic properties has led researchers to study rare earth elements and elements other than boron in combination with iron. I was encouraged to study new compounds.

European Patent Application Publication No. 03200064
In formula N, including neodymium and iron, but incorporating carbon and having a crystal structure similar to known boride materials.
Hard magnetic materials provided with compounds of the formula d ₂ Fe ₁₄ C are described. European Patent Application Publication No. 033444
No. 5 describes the modification of materials of the above type incorporating carbon in which neodymium is replaced by praseodymium, cerium or lanthanum and iron is partially replaced by manganese. Finally, European Patent Application Publication No. 039726
No. 4 has the formula RE ₂ Fe ₁₇ C [wherein RE is at least 7
It is a combination of rare earth elements with 0% samarium. ] The compound shown by these is described.

The preferred compounds described at the end of the above three patent applications incorporate carbon interstitial points in the Sm ₂ Fe ₁₇ crystal lattice to provide improved Curie temperature and magnetic uniaxial anisotropy. Show. However, it is produced by melting the constituent elements in order to obtain a casting which is subsequently subjected to an annealing treatment at a very high temperature (900-1100 ° C.) in an inert gas. The use of such processes limits the amount of additional elements that can be incorporated between the lattice points.

A method of incorporating an element of Group VA of the Periodic Table between interstitial points in an intermetallic compound containing one or more rare earth elements and iron has already been developed by the present inventors, and the present application European patent application No. 91 by human
No. 303442.7. The method comprises heating the starting intermetallic compound in a gas containing a Group VA element in the substantial absence of oxygen.

[0009]

It is possible to incorporate elements of Group IIIA, Group IVA and Group VIA of the periodic table into the rare earth / iron-type compound between the lattice points, and the Curie temperature (T
c), a method for producing a novel material with improved magnetism with respect to spontaneous magnetic moment per unit volume (Ms) and easy uniaxial anisotropy (Ba) has been developed. Such materials are suitable for further processing to produce permanent magnets with large energy products in excess of 80 kJ / m ³ .

According to one aspect, the present invention is a method of altering the magnetism of an intermetallic compound comprising at least iron or a combination of iron and at least one transition metal, and at least one rare earth element. And at least one of Group IIIA, IVA or VIA of the periodic table in the gas phase
Heating an intermetallic compound in a reaction gas containing a species of element and incorporating a Group IIIA, IVA, or VIA element between the lattice points in the crystal lattice of the intermetallic compound. provide.

As used herein, the term "rare earth elements" also includes the elements of yttrium, thorium, hafnium and zirconium, and includes IIIA, I of the Periodic Table.
Group VA or VIA is defined by the CAS version, ie B, Al, Ga, I of Group IIIA.
n, Tl; C, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb of Group IVA; O, S, Se, Te, Po of Group VIA.

The intermetallic compounds modified by the method of the present invention include those of ThMn ₁₂ type having a tetragonal structure, and those of Th ₂ Ni ₁₇ or ThZn ₁₇ type having a hexagonal or rhombohedral structure, respectively. . BaCd ₁₁ and CaCu ₅
Intermetallic compounds having a crystalline structure of the type can also be modified by the method of the present invention.

In one embodiment of the invention, the starting intermetallic compound heated in the reaction gas according to the method of the invention has the general formula: R (T _nx M _x ), where R is at least 1 as defined above. A rare earth element, T is iron or a combination of iron and one or more transition metals, M is an element that helps stabilize the structural type, n
Is approximately 12, 0.5 <x <3.0. ] The tetragonal compound shown by these may be sufficient.

Preferred R is yttrium, cerium,
Praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, gadolinium,
Terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, lutetium, or a mixture of two or more of these. Particularly preferred compounds are those wherein R is praseodymium or neodymium, eg Pr
Fe ₁₁ is Ti or NdFe ₁₁ Ti compound or praseodymium or neodymium in combination and one or more other rare earth elements. For example, in a compound such as NdFe ₁₁ Ti, neodymium can be replaced with cerium to reduce the price, and neodymium can be replaced with a heavy rare earth such as terbium or dysprosium to improve uniaxial anisotropy. .

In the above compound R (T _nx M _x ), iron is
It may be combined with a transition metal such as cobalt, nickel or manganese. In particular, iron may be replaced by up to 45% cobalt.

The stabilizing element M is a group IVB or VB of the periodic table.
Preferred are early transition metals such as Group VI and VIB. Particularly preferred stabilizing elements are titanium, vanadium, molybdenum, tungsten or chromium.

In another preferred aspect of the present invention, the starting intermetallic compound is heated in a reaction gas in accordance with the method of the present invention have the general _{formula: R '2 (T' na} M 'a) [ wherein, R' Is at least one rare earth element, T'is iron,
M'is one or more transition metals, n is approximately 17,
0 ≦ a <6.0. ] The hexagonal crystal | system | group shown by these or a rhombohedral crystal compound may be sufficient.

Preferred R'for these hexagonal or rhombohedral starting materials are yttrium, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, lutetium, or two or more of these. Is a mixture of. Particularly preferred compounds are those where R'is samarium, for example SmFe ₁₇ , or where R'is samarium partially substituted with neodymium, paratheodymium or cerium.

Furthermore, the transition metal M'may be a substitute for iron, for example cobalt, nickel or manganese.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the starting intermetallic compound is a BaCd ₁₁ type tetragonal structure, eg, RFe ₅ Co ₄ M ".
[In the formula, M "is a stabilizing element such as silicon], or a CaCu ₅ type crystal structure, for example, RCo ₃ FeM"'[wherein M "' is a stabilizing element such as boron]. May have.

Preferred Group IIIA, IVA or VIA elements which may be incorporated into the crystal lattice of an intermetallic compound having a tetragonal, rhombohedral or hexagonal structure as described above are boron in Group IIIA. , One or more of carbon, silicon and germanium in Group IVA,
Or one or more of sulfur, selenium and tellurium in Group VIA.

The incorporated elements may be combined with hydrogen. The incorporated Group IIIA, IVA or VIA element, whether or not combined with hydrogen, is designated Z below.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides a compound of the general formula: R (T _nx M _x ) Z _y , wherein R, T, x, M and Z have the same meanings as defined above and 0.1 <Y ≦ 1.0. ] The novel magnetic material shown by these is provided.

[0023] The present invention has the general _{formula: R '2 (T' na} M 'a) in Z _b [wherein, R', T ', M ', Z and n are as defined above, 0 ≦ a <6.0, 1.5 <b <3.0. ] The magnetic material shown by these is also provided. Particularly preferred examples of these latter compounds are those where b> 1.5.

The present invention provides the formula RTCo _nc M " _c Z _{d where} R, T, Z and M" are as described above and n is 1
1, 1 <c <3 and 0 <d <1. Compounds represented by, and RCo ₃ FeM "'Z [wherein, R and Z are as defined above, M"' is a stabilizing element such as boron. ] The compound shown by these is further provided.

The exact formulas of the novel compounds are based on the elements of group IIIA, IVA or VIA of the Periodic Table present in the reaction gas, and the starting materials which may have all the variants mentioned above. Dependent.

For example, when the element Z is carbon, the reaction gas is a hydrocarbon, specifically methane, a C _{2 to} C ₅ alkane, alkene or alkyne, or an aromatic hydrocarbon such as benzene. You may When the element Z is boron, the reaction gas may be a boron-containing gas, such as borane, diborane or decaborane vapor. When the element Z is silicon, the reaction gas may be silane. When the element Z is sulfur, the reaction gas may be hydrogen sulfide. The reaction gas may be mixed with an inert carrier gas such as helium or argon.

A particularly preferred magnetic material is a material in which the incorporated element is carbon, eg Sm ₂ Fe ₁₇ C _b [wherein b> 2.0, and more preferably y is 2.5]. . ], And NdFe ₁₁ TiC _y or PrFe ₁₁
TiC _y [wherein 0.5 <y ≦ 1.0, preferably 0.6
<Y <0.9, more preferably y is 0.8. ].

Other preferred magnetic materials are those in which the incorporated element is boron, for example Sm ₂ Fe ₁₇ B _b , where b> 1.5. ].

To carry out the method of the present invention, it is preferred to grind the starting rare earth / iron intermetallic compound ingot to a fine powder having a particle size of less than 50 microns in diameter. Such powders may be prepared by mechanical alloying. The powder is then placed in a suitable reaction vessel filled with reaction gas at a pressure of 0.01 to 1000 bar. The pressure is typically 0.1-10 bar. In a container, in the presence of gas, 300 to 800 ° C., preferably 400 to 65
The powder is heated at 0 ° C., more preferably about 500 ° C., for a time sufficient to diffuse the elements to be incorporated at interstitial sites throughout each particle of the powder.
The heating time may be up to 100 hours, but a suitable time can be easily determined from the diffusion coefficient of interstitial atoms in the intermetallic compound. Typical heating time is 2 to 10 hours.

Except when the interstitial element to be incorporated is oxygen, it is preferred to heat the starting material in the reaction gas in the substantial absence of oxygen.

Following heating, the reaction vessel may be evacuated to remove excess reaction gas prior to cooling or purged with an inert gas. The cooled product is then processed to form a permanent magnet. In the case of Sm ₂ Fe ₁₇ ingot, it is convenient to include, for example, up to 5% by weight of the early transition metal additive in the cast ingot. Suitable additives include niobium, zirconium or titanium. The additive does not melt in phase with each other, so the resulting α
-Suppress the formation of Fe dendrites. In the absence of additives, the α-Fe phase, which tends to destroy the coercivity in the modified material, can be removed by prolonged high temperature annealing at about 1000 ° C.

Incorporation of elements such as carbon into interstitial points such as in rare earth / iron intermetallics can be done at much lower temperatures than the arc melting method used in EP-A-0397264. , An advantage of the novel method of the present invention. Further, the gas phase method of the present invention may provide a higher level of interstitial incorporation as compared to the arc melting method. As a result, the uniaxial anisotropy is much greater and the Curie temperature is significantly higher than the materials produced by previously known methods.

[0033]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be specifically described with reference to the following examples. Table I compares the properties of compounds of formula Sm ₂ Fe ₁₇ C _y prepared by the method described in EP-A-0397264 with compounds of the formula prepared by the method of the invention. Is.

[0034]

TABLE 1 wherein the compound of Table I EP 0,397,264 present invention _{Sm 2 Fe 17 C y Sm 2} Fe 17 C y ranges 0.5 <y <1.5 0.5 <y <2.8 Tc (maximum) 540K 673K Ba (maximum) 4.0-5.3T 16T Method arc melting of elements Heating in hydrocarbon gas

From the above table, it is easy to understand the improvement of the magnetism of the compound produced by the method of the present invention.

The crystal lattice parameters a (nm) and c (n) given by the interstitial incorporation of carbon into the compound R ₂ Fe ₁₇
The effects on m), Curie temperature Tc (K), anisotropy and magnetic moment M (μ _B / fu) are shown in Table II below. h represents a compound having a hexagonal crystal structure, and r represents a compound having a rhombohedral structure. The composition of the carbide is R ₂ Fe ₁₇ C _y [wherein
y is 2.1 to 2.8. ].

[0037]

[Table 2] Table II R structure a (nm) c (nm) Tc (K) anisotropy M (μ _B / fu) Y h 0.866 0.840 668 face 35.8 Ce r 0.873 1.256 589 face 33.8 Pr r 0.880 1.259 653 Face 34.5 Nd r 0.879 1.260 659 Face 35.1 Sm r 0.875 1.257 668 Axis 34.5 Gd r 0.870 1.261 711 Face 20.1 Tb r 0.867 1.264 680 Face 21.3 Dy h 0.865 0.842 674 Face 17.1 Ho h 0.861 0.843 672 ur 160 0.8 Er 41 _sr = 124 k 17.9 Tm h 0.860 0.843 656 T _sr = 226 K 21.2 Lu h 0.857 0.842 657 face 36.4

The effect of incorporation of carbon in the compound RFe ₁₁ Ti on the magnetic and crystal lattice parameters is shown in Table III below. In the table, the value of y is 0.6 to 0.9.
Is. In the preferred compound, the value of y is 0.8.

[0039]

[Table 3]

[0040]

[Table 4]

The effects on magnetism by incorporating boron into Sm ₂ Fe ₁₇ and carbon into Nd (Fe ₁₁ Ti) are shown in Table IV below.

[0042]

Table 5 Table IV _{Tc (℃) μ o Ms (} T) Ba (T) Sm 2 Fe 17 116 1.17 easy magnetization plane Sm ₂ Fe ₁₇ C _{a (Note) 395 1.46 14T Sm 2 Fe 17} B b ( Note ) 325 1.40> 5T Nd (Fe ₁₁ Ti) 274 1.28 1T Nd (Fe ₁₁ Ti) C _c (Note) 397 1.32 7T (Note) a = 2.2, b = 1.6, c = 0.7.

Selected intermetallic compound R ₂ Fe ₁₇ or R
The incorporation of an element of Group IVA of the periodic table, such as carbon, between the lattice points into Fe ₁₁ Ti and the property change achieved thereby are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, (a) shows a rhombohedral crystal structure of Sm ₂ Fe ₁₇ C _y in which carbon 9e is occupied at position 9e,
(B) is Nd (F) in which 2b position is occupied by carbon.
The tetragonal crystal structure of e ₁₁ Ti) C _y is shown.

FIG. 2 shows Sm ₂ Fe ₁₇ powders (a) treated in methane at 550 ° C. for 2 hours, after (b), and (c) and oriented in a magnetic field of 0.3 T. The X-ray diffraction pattern of is shown. In FIG. 2 (b), a lattice expansion of about 6% is apparent after the inter-lattice incorporation of carbon. In FIG. 2C, the easy magnetization c-axis anisotropy is shown after orientation.

FIG. 3 shows the compound R ₂ Fe ₁₇ C _y and the compound R ₂
Fe ₁₇ [wherein R is Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, D
y, Ho, Er, Tm or Lu, and 1.5 <y <3.0
Is. ] Shows the difference in unit cell volume. Compound R ₂
A substantial increase in unit cell volume at Fe ₁₇ C _y is observed.

FIG. 4 shows compounds R ₂ Fe ₁₇ C _y and compounds R ₂ Fe ₁₇ [wherein R is Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, T].
b, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm or Lu, and 1.5 <y <
It is 3.0. ] Curie temperature of] is shown. Compound R ₂ Fe
A substantial increase in Curie temperature at ₁₇ C _y is observed.

FIG. 5 shows powder SmFe ₁₇ C _y magnetically aligned and fixed in epoxy resin with an applied magnetic field of 1 T, where 1.5 <y <3.0. ] Shows the magnetization curve at room temperature. The anisotropic magnetic field derived from the data shown in FIG. 5 is 1
It is 6T.

FIG. 6 shows the X-ray diffraction patterns before (solid line) and after treatment (dashed line) in benzene vapor at 475 ° C. for 2 hours. A 5.5% lattice expansion is shown.

FIG. 7 shows compound R (Fe ₁₁ Ti) and compound R
(Fe ₁₁ Ti) C _y [wherein R is Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, G
d, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm or Lu, and 0.6 <
y <0.9. ] Shows the difference in unit cell volume.
A substantial increase in unit cell volume is observed when incorporating carbon by heating in butane.

FIG. 8 shows the compound R (Fe ₁₁ Ti) 2 and the compound R (Fe ₁₁ Ti) C _y produced by the present invention.
R is Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er,
Tm or Lu, and 0.6 <y <0.9. ] Curie temperature of] is shown. A substantial increase in the Curie temperature is observed when carbon is incorporated between the lattice points.

FIG. 9 shows the substantial absence of free iron,
5 shows the weight% of X-ray diffraction pattern of the ingot Sm ₂ Fe ₁₇ which is not an arc melted annealed containing Nb. The solid line is the curve of the SmFe ₁₇ ingot containing the additive, and the dash-dotted line shows where the α-Fe peak appears in the ingot containing no additive.

FIG. 10 shows the compound (Y ₁ -Z Nd _Z ) (Fe ₁₁ Ti)
The relationship between the neodymium content in C _a (a is 0.8) and the anisotropic magnetic field is shown.

From the data presented herein, the method of the present invention is substantially more convenient than previously known methods of incorporating other elements into the intermetallic sites in the rare earth / iron type magnetic intermetallic compound. And it is readily seen that the resulting material has improved magnetism. In particular, the increase in Curie temperature, uniaxial anisotropy, and increase in spontaneous magnetization make the compounds of the invention well suited for the production of permanent magnets. The high Curie temperature of these materials means that the magnets produced from this can be used in devices and methods that require high temperature conditions and the magnets will not lose their magnetization.

Magnets can be formed from the materials of the present invention by orienting interstitial modified intermetallic compounds in powder form using a polymer resin in a magnetic field to produce polymer bonded magnets. The interstitial-modified intermetallic compound powder is ground to a fine powder having a particle size of 10 μm or less, if desired, and then mixed with a polymeric material (eg, thermosetting resin or epoxy resin) to form particles of the powder. May be oriented in a magnetic field sufficient to align the axis of easy magnetization of. The resin is then cured and the composite is exposed to a magnetic field large enough to saturate the remanence.

In the present invention, the composite may be formed into the desired shape by compression or injection molding prior to exposure to the magnetic field.

It is also possible to form a composite with a metal matrix rather than a polymer matrix. In this case, a low melting point metal such as Zn, Sn or Al, or a low melting point alloy such as solder may be used. Mixing metal with ground modified intermetallic powder, melting metal,
It may be oriented in a magnetic field prior to heat treatment at a temperature sufficient to form a metal / metal composite. The preferred metal is zinc, which reacts with free α-Fe to give non-magnetic Fe.
-Zn alloy is formed, thus improving the coercive force of the magnet.

Another method of forming a magnet from the above materials is
Forging with a soft metal under stress which tends to mechanically orient the crystallites of the material. In particular, shear stress may be applied to the intermetallic powder and optionally mixed with a soft metal such as Al. Shear stress aligns the c-axis of intermetallic crystallites and thus increases the remanent magnetization of the magnet.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 (a) shows a rhombohedral structure of Sm ₂ Fe ₁₇ C _y in which 9e is occupied by carbon, and (b) is Nd (Fe ₁₁ Ti in which 2b is occupied by carbon. ) _Shows the tetragonal structure of C _y .

FIG. 2 (a) before treatment in methane at 550 ° C. for 2 hours, (b) after treatment, and (c).
3 shows an X-ray diffraction pattern of Sm ₂ Fe ₁₇ powder oriented in a magnetic field of 0.3T.

FIG. 3: Compound R ₂ Fe ₁₇ C _y and compound R ₂ Fe ₁₇ [wherein R represents Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, E
r, Tm or Lu, and 1.5 <y <3.0. ]
The difference in unit cell volume between and.

FIG. 4 is the compound R ₂ Fe ₁₇ C _y and the compound R ₂ Fe ₁₇
[Wherein R is Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, H
o, Er, Tm or Lu, and 1.5 <y <3.0. ] Curie temperature of] is shown.

FIG. 5: Powder SmFe ₁₇ C _y magnetically aligned in an applied magnetic field of 1 T and fixed in epoxy resin, where 1.5 <
y <3.0. ] Shows the magnetization curve at room temperature.

FIG. 6 shows X-ray diffraction patterns before (solid line) and after treatment (dashed line) in benzene vapor at 475 ° C. for 2 hours.

FIG. 7: Compound R (Fe ₁₁ Ti) and compound R (Fe ₁₁ Ti)
C _y [wherein R is Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, D
y, Ho, Er, Tm or Lu, and 0.6 <y <0.9
Is. ] Shows the difference in unit cell volume.

FIG. 8: Compound R (Fe ₁₁ Ti) and compound R (Fe ₁₁ Ti) C _y produced by the present invention, wherein R is Ce,
Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm or Lu, and 0.6 <y <0.9. ] Curie temperature of] is shown.

FIG. 9 shows an X-ray diffraction pattern of an arc-melted unannealed Sm ₂ Fe ₁₇ ingot containing 5 wt% Nb, showing the substantial absence of free iron.

FIG. 10 shows the relationship between the neodymium content and the anisotropy field in the compound (Y ₁ -Z Nd _Z ) (Fe ₁₁ Ti) C _a (a is 0.8).

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (71) Applicant 591079890 The Probast Fellows and Scalars of the Carriage of the Holly and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elli Zabeth near Dublin THE PROVEST, FELLOW S AND SCHOLARS OF T HE COLLEGE OF THE H HOLY AND UNDIVIDED T RINITY OF QUEEN ELI ZABETH NEAR LABEL, ZABETH NEAR David Koay, Hilbur, Castleknock, County Dublin, Ireland Ku House (No Address) (72) Inventor Hong Sung Ireland 9, Dublin 9, Whitworth Road 46 (72) Inventor David Patrick Hurley Ireland, Lucan, Dublin Kew Park 67 Turn

Claims (32)

[Claims] 1. A method of altering the magnetism of an intermetallic compound comprising at least iron or a combination of iron and at least one transition metal, and at least one rare earth element, comprising: Group IIIA, Group IVA or VI
The intermetallic compound is heated in a reaction gas containing at least one element of group A to form a crystal lattice of the intermetallic compound,
A method comprising incorporating a Group A, Group IVA or Group VIA element between the lattice points. 2. The intermetallic compound has the general formula: R (T _nx M _x ), wherein R is at least one rare earth element, T is iron or a combination of iron and one or more transition metals. , M is an element that helps stabilize the structural type, n is approximately 12,
0.5 <x <3.0. ] The method of Claim 1 shown by these. 3. The intermetallic compound has the general formula: R ′ ₂ (T ′ _na M ′ _a ), wherein R ′ is at least one rare earth element, T ′ is iron,
M'is one or more transition metals, n is approximately 17,
0 ≦ a <6.0. ] The method of Claim 1 shown by these. 4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein R is yttrium, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, lutetium, or a mixture of two or more thereof. Method. 5. The method according to claim 2 or 4, wherein R is neodymium or praseodymium or a combination of neodymium or praseodymium with one or more other rare earth elements. 6. The method according to claim 3, wherein R ′ is samarium or a combination of samarium and one or more other rare earth elements. 7. Iron, in combination with one or more of cobalt, nickel or manganese.
Or the method described in 5. 8. The method according to claim 2, wherein M is an early transition metal.
Or the method described in 7. 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein M is titanium, vanadium, molybdenum, tungsten or chromium. 10. The method according to claim 3, 4 or 6, wherein M ′ is cobalt, nickel or manganese, or a combination of two or more thereof. 11. IIIA incorporated into an intermetallic compound
Group IVA, Group IVA or Group VIA elements are boron, carbon,
11. Silicon, germanium, sulfur, selenium or tellurium, or a combination of two or more thereof.
The method described in any one of. 12. The process according to claim 1, wherein the starting intermetallic compound is heated in the reaction gas in the substantial absence of oxygen, except when the element to be incorporated is oxygen. 13. The incorporated Group IVA element is carbon and the reaction gas is a hydrocarbon.
The method described. 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the reaction gas is methane, a C ₂ -C ₅ alkane, an alkene or an alkyne, or an aromatic hydrocarbon. 15. The produced compound has the formula: Sm ₂ Fe ₁₇ C _y [wherein 0.5 <y <3.0. ] The method of Claim 13 or 14 shown by these. 16. The produced compound has the formula: PrFe ₁₁ TiC _y or NdFe ₁₁ TiC _y , wherein 0.5 <y ≦ 1.0. ] The method of Claim 13 or 14 shown by these. 17. The method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the incorporated Group IIIA element is boron and the reaction gas is borane or decaborane. 18. The compound produced has the formula: Sm ₂ Fe ₁₇ B _b [wherein 0.5 <b <3.0. ] The method of Claim 17 shown by these. 19. The element of Group IVA incorporated is silicon and the reactive gas is silane.
The method described. 20. The incorporated Group VIA element is sulfur and the reaction gas is hydrogen sulfide.
The method described. 21. Diameter 50 before heating in the reaction gas
21. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the intermetallic compound is ground to a powder with a particle size smaller than micron. 22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the intermetallic compound is added with up to 5% by weight of an early transition metal. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the early transition metal is niobium, zirconium or titanium. 24. In a reaction vessel filled with a reaction gas,
24. The method according to any of claims 1 to 23, wherein the intermetallic compound is heated to a temperature of 400 to 650 <0> C at a pressure of 01 to 1000 bar. 25. The modified intermetallic compound powder is magnetically or mechanically aligned to form a permanent magnet.
A modification of the method according to any one of 4 above. 26. (a) Orient the modified intermetallic compound in a powder form with a polymer resin in a magnetic field to form a polymer bonded magnet, or (b) orient the modified intermetallic compound in a powder form in a magnetic field. And mix with a low melting point metal or alloy and heat to form a metal bonded magnet, or (c)
26. The deformation of claim 25, wherein the modified intermetallic compound is forged in powder form with the soft metal under stress to magnetically orient the material to form a permanent magnet by forming a metal bonded magnet. 27. A general formula: R (T _nx M _x ) Z _y , wherein R is at least one rare earth element, T is iron or a combination of iron and one or more transition metals, M Is an element that helps stabilize the structure type, and Z is the element in the periodic table.
One or more elements of group IIIA, group IVA or group VIA, n is approximately 12, 0.5 <x <3.0,0.1 <
y ≦ 1.0. ] The magnetic material shown by. 28. A general formula: R ′ ₂ (T ′ _na M ′ _a ) Z _b [wherein R ′ is at least one rare earth element, T ′ is iron,
M'is one or more transition metals, Z is I of the periodic table
One or more elements of Group IIA, Group IVA or Group VIA, n is approximately 17, 0 ≦ a <6.0, 1.5 <b <
It is 3.0. ] The magnetic material shown by. 29. The magnetic material according to claim 28, wherein Z is carbon, R is samarium, and 2.0 <b <3.0. 30. A method for producing a permanent magnet, according to claim 27.
29. Use of the magnetic material according to any one of to 29. 31. Claims 1 to 1 for producing a permanent magnet.
Use of the product of the method according to any of 24. 32. A permanent magnet made from the product of the method of any of claims 1-24.