Abstract: One embodiment includes a method for enhancing thermoelectric properties in a thermoelectric material including irradiation processing.

Abstract: Laminated steel panels which are subjected to forming and assembly operations such as welding that subject the composite construction to high temperatures in localized regions. The metal laminate structure has metal skins sandwiching one or more layers of polymeric material. The polymeric material incorporates cavity structures which are designed to accommodate the gaseous components liberated during welding and other high temperature processes.

Abstract: Nonmagnetized permanent magnet material is heated in a pattern by a laser beam to a localized temperature above the Curie point or a temperature sufficient to reduce the coercivity sufficiently for an external field to magnetize the pattern in the direction of the field. Magnets so produced can have very high pole density, digital encoding and analog patterns having gradually varying local field strength. Alternating pole magnets of this type can be used for stepper motor magnets.

Abstract: In a preferred method, a molten alloy of samarium and iron is formed with a proportion of about 1:4 to about 1:9 of samarium to iron. The molten alloy is then quenched in a non-oxidizing environment at a rate sufficient to form a solid crystalline alloy in the form of a thin ribbon. The ribbon is comminuted to form a powder and the powder is nitrided in a gaseous nitrogen atmosphere. Nitriding causes nitrogen to penetrate and occupy interstitial sites in the Sm-Fe alloy, producing a magnetically hard powder with a high coercivity typically 10 kOe, usually greater than 15 kOe and as high as about 20 to about 23 kOe.

Abstract: In a preferred method, a magnetically hard composition is prepared by intermingling rare earth (RE) metal, transition metal (TM) and boron (B) alloy powders of the general formula RE-(Fe.sub.(1-x) Co.sub.x)-B. The value of x ranges from 0 to 1 and is different for each of the powders, thus providing a blend of alloy powders with diverse Curie temperature (T.sub.c) and a less abrupt rate of change of thermal expansion and/or specific heat with temperature, as compared to a single alloy powder.The magnetically hard compositions with improved thermomechanical properties are formed from two or more alloy powders. Preferably, two alloy powders are used and the value of x for the first alloy is less than about 0.1. The value of x for the second alloy is in a range of about 0.1 to about 0.6, and preferably 0.3 to 0.5.

Abstract: Nonmagnetized permanent magnet material is heated in a pattern by a laser beam to a localized temperature above the Curie point or a temperature sufficient to reduce the coercivity sufficiently for an external field to magnetize the pattern in the direction of the field. Magnets so produced can have very high pole density, digital encoding and analog patterns having gradually varying local field strength. Alternating pole magnets of this type can be used for stepper motor magnets.

Abstract: Anisotropic permanent magnets consisting essentially of RE.sub.2 TM.sub.14 C are prepared by hot working suitable iron-neodymium/praseodymium-carbon containing alloys so as to produce deformed fine grains of the above essential magnetic phase.

Abstract: Diffusion alloying techniques are used to introduce low level additives into hot-worked Nd-Fe-B magnets. The powdered metal is added to the rapidly solidifed ribbons of the magnetic alloy prior to hot working. Diffusion alloying during hot-working permits the final chemistry of the magnet and more specifically the grain boundaries to be determined during the final processing steps. Elements which diffuse into the matrix, such as zinc, copper and nickel, enhance the coercivity by as much as 100 percent in die-upset magnets. At optimum levels, approximately 0.5-0.8 weight percent, the additives did not diminish the remanence or energy product of the magnet.