Abstract: A method of making a magnetic alloy material includes the steps of: preparing a melt of an alloy material having a predetermined composition; rapidly cooling and solidifying the melt to obtain a rapidly solidified alloy represented by: Fe100-a-b-cREaAbTMc where RE is at least one rare-earth element selected from La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er and Tm and including at least about 90 at % of La; A is at least one element selected from Al, Si, Ga, Ge and Sn; TM is at least one transition metal element selected from Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn; and 5 at %?a?10 at %, 4.7 at %?b?18 at % and 0 at %?c?9 at %; and producing a compound phase having an NaZn13-type crystal structure in at least about 70 vol % of the rapidly solidified alloy.

Abstract: A magnetic alloy material according to the present invention has a composition represented by Fe100-a-b-cREaAbCoc, where RE is a rare-earth element always including La, A is either Si or Al, 6 at %?a?11 at %, 8 at %?b?18 at %, and 0 at %?c?9 at %, and has either a two phase structure consisting essentially of an ?-Fe phase and an (RE, Fe, A) phase including 30 at % to 90 at % of RE or a three phase structure consisting essentially of the ?-Fe phase, the (RE, Fe, A) phase including 30 at % to 90 at % of RE and an RE(Fe, A)13 compound phase with an NaZn13-type crystal structure. The respective phases have an average minor-axis size of 40 nm to 2 ?m.

Abstract: To make a raw alloy, consisting mostly of amorphous structure, highly productively and at a reduced cost for a nanocomposite magnet, a molten alloy represented by Fe100-x-y-zRxQyMz (where R is at least one element selected from Pr, Nd, Dy and Tb; Q is B and/or C; M is at least one element selected from Co, Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Ga, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ag, Pt, Au and Pb; and 1 at %?x<6 at %, 15 at %?y?30 at % and 0 at %?z?7 at %) is prepared. This molten alloy is rapidly cooled by a strip casting process in which the alloy is fed onto a chill roller, rotating at a peripheral velocity of 3 m/s to less than 20 m/s, at a feeding rate per unit contact width of 0.2 kg/min/cm to 5.2 kg/min/cm. In this manner, an alloy including at least 60 volume percent of amorphous phase can be obtained.

Abstract: To make a raw alloy, consisting mostly of amorphous structure, highly productively and at a reduced cost for a nanocomposite magnet, a molten alloy represented by Fe100-x-y-zRxQyMz (where R is at least one element selected from Pr, Nd, Dy and Tb; Q is B and/or C; M is at least one element selected from Co, Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Ga, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ag, Pt, Au and Pb; and 1 at %?x<6 at %, 15 at %?y?30 at % and 0 at %?z?7 at %) is prepared. This molten alloy is rapidly cooled by a strip casting process in which the alloy is fed onto a chill roller, rotating at a peripheral velocity of 3 m/s to less than 20 m/s, at a feeding rate per unit contact width of 0.2 kg/min/cm to 5.2 kg/min/cm. In this manner, an alloy including at least 60 volume percent of amorphous phase can be obtained.

Abstract: A method of making a material alloy for an iron-based rare earth magnet includes the step of forming a melt of an alloy with a composition of (Fe1-mTm)100-x-y-z-n(B1-pCp)xRyTi2Mn. T is Co and/or Ni; R is at least one element selected from Y (yttrium) and the rare earth elements; and M is at least one element selected from Al, Si, V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ag, Hf, Ta, W, Pt, Au and Pb, wherein the following inequalities are satisfied: 10<x?25 at %, *6?y<10 at %, 0.5?z?12 at %, 0?m?0.5, 0?n?10 at % and 0?p?0.25. Next, the melt is fed onto a shoot with a guide surface tilted at about 1 degree to about 80 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane, thereby moving the melt onto a melt/roller contact region. The melt is then rapidly cooled using a chill roller to make a rapidly solidified alloy including an R2Fe14B phase.

Abstract: A magnetic refrigerant material exhibits sufficiently great magnetocaloric effect at or near room temperature. The magnetic refrigerant material has an NiAs type hexagonal structure in a ferromagnetic phase. The magnetic refrigerant material includes a first element Mn, a second element As and a third element to substitute for a portion of the second element, and exhibits a magnetic phase transition in a temperature range from about 230 K to less than about 318 K.

Abstract: An iron-based rare-earth alloy powder includes: a first iron-based rare-earth alloy powder, which has a mean particle size of 10 &mgr;m to 70 &mgr;m and of which the powder particles have aspect ratios of 0.4 to 1.0; and a second iron-based rare-earth alloy powder, which has a mean particle size of 70 &mgr;m to 300 &mgr;m and of which the powder particles have aspect ratios of less than 0.3. The first and second iron-based rare-earth alloy powders are mixed at a volume ratio of 1:49 to 4:1. In this manner, an iron-based rare-earth alloy powder with increased flowability and a compound to make a magnet are provided.

Abstract: A rare-earth alloy powder is obtained by rapidly cooling a melt of an alloy by an atomization process. The alloy has a composition represented by (Fe1-mTm)100-x-y-zQxRyTizMn, where T is at least one of Co and Ni, Q is at least one of B and C, R is at least one of the rare-earth metal elements and yttrium, and M is at least one of Nb, Zr, Mo, Ta and Hf. The mole fractions x, y, z, m and n satisfy 10 at %<x≦25 at %, 6 at %≦y<10 at %, 0.1 at %≦z≦12 at %, 0≦m≦0.5, and 0 at %≦n≦10 at %, respectively. By adding Ti to the alloy, the nucleation and growth of &agr;-Fe during the rapid quenching process can be minimized.

Abstract: A method of making a material alloy for an iron-based rare earth magnet includes the step of forming a melt of an alloy with a composition of (Fe1-mTm)100-x-y-z-n(B1-pCp)xRyTizMn. T is Co and/or Ni; R is at least one element selected from Y (yttrium) and the rare earth elements; and M is at least one element selected from Al, Si, V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ag, Hf, Ta, W, Pt, Au and Pb, wherein the following inequalities are satisfied: 10<x≦25 at %, *6≦y<10 at %, 0.5≦z≦12 at %, 0≦m≦0.5, 0≦n≦10 at % and 0≦p≦0.25. Next, the melt is fed onto a shoot with a guide surface tilted at about 1 degree to about 80 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane, thereby moving the melt onto a melt/roller contact region. The melt is then rapidly cooled using a chill roller to make a rapidly solidified alloy including an R2Fe14B phase.

Abstract: An iron-based rare earth alloy magnet has a composition represented by the general formula: (Fe1-mTm)100-x-y-zQxRyMz, where T is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Co and Ni; Q is at least one element selected from the group consisting of B and C; R is at least one rare earth element substantially excluding La and Ce; and M is at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr and Hf and always includes Ti. In this formula, the mole fractions x, y, z and m meet the inequalities of: 10 at %<x≦20 at %; 6 at %≦y<10 at %; 0.1 at %≦z≦12 at %; and 0≦m≦0.5, respectively.

Abstract: A compound for a rare-earth bonded magnet includes a rare-earth alloy powder and a binder. The rare-earth alloy powder includes at least about 2 mass % of Ti-containing nanocomposite magnet powder particles with a composition represented by (Fe1-mTm)100-x-y-zQxRyMz, where T is Co and/or Ni; Q is B with or without C; R is at least one rare-earth element substantially excluding La and Ce; M is at least one metal element selected from Ti, Zr and Hf and always includes Ti; and 10<x≦20 at %; 6≦y<10 at %; 0.1≦z≦12 at %; and 0≦m≦0.5. The particles include at least two ferromagnetic crystalline phases, in which hard magnetic phases have an average crystal grain size of about 10 nm to about 200 nm, soft magnetic phases have an average crystal grain size of about 1 nm to about 100 nm; and the average crystal grain size of the soft magnetic phases is smaller than that of the hard magnetic phases.

Abstract: A magnetic refrigerant material exhibits sufficiently great magnetocaloric effect at or near room temperature. The magnetic refrigerant material has an NiAs type hexagonal structure in a ferromagnetic phase. The magnetic refrigerant material includes a first element Mn, a second element As and a third element to substitute for a portion of the second element, and exhibits a magnetic phase transition in a temperature range from about 230 K to less than about 318 K.

Abstract: A method of making a magnetic alloy material includes the steps of: preparing a melt of an alloy material having a predetermined composition; rapidly cooling and solidifying the melt to obtain a rapidly solidified alloy represented by: Fe100-a-b-cREaAbTMc where RE is at least one rare-earth element selected from La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er and Tm and including at least about 90 at % of La; A is at least one element selected from Al, Si, Ga, Ge and Sn; TM is at least one transition metal element selected from Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn; and 5 at %≦a≦10 at %, 4.7 at %≦b≦18 at % and 0 at %≦c≦9 at %; and producing a compound phase having an NaZn13-type crystal structure in at least about 70 vol % of the rapidly solidified alloy.

Abstract: An iron-based rare-earth alloy powder includes: a first iron-based rare-earth alloy powder, which has a mean particle size of 10 &mgr;m to 70 &mgr;m and of which the powder particles have aspect ratios of 0.4 to 1.0; and a second iron-based rare-earth alloy powder, which has a mean particle size of 70 &mgr;m to 300 &mgr;m and of which the powder particles have aspect ratios of less than 0.3. The first and second iron-based rare-earth alloy powders are mixed at a volume ratio of 1:49 to 4:1. In this manner, an iron-based rare-earth alloy powder with increased flowability and a compound to make a magnet are provided.

Abstract: A nanocomposite magnet has a composition represented by (Fe1-mTm)100-x-y-z-nQxRyTizMn, where T is at least one of Co and Ni, Q is at least one of B and C, R is at least one rare earth element that always includes at least one of Nd and Pr and optionally includes Dy and/or Tb, and M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ga, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ag, Hf, Ta, W, Pt, Au and Pb. The mole fractions x, y, z, m and n satisfy 10 at %<x≦20 at %, 6 at %≦y<10 at %, 0.5 at %≦z≦12 at %, 0≦m≦0.5 and 0 at %≦n≦10 at %, respectively. The nanocomposite magnet has an oxygen content of at most about 1,500 ppm by mass.

Abstract: An iron-based rare earth alloy magnet has a composition represented by the general formula: (Fe1-mTm)100-x-y-zQxRyMz, where T is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Co and Ni; Q is at least one element selected from the group consisting of B and C; R is at least one rare earth element substantially excluding La and Ce; and M is at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr and Hf and always includes Ti. In this formula, the mole fractions x, y, z and m meet the inequalities of: 10 at %<x≦20 at %; 6 at %≦y<10 at %; 0.1 at %≦z≦12 at %; and 0≦m≦0.5, respectively.

Abstract: A melt of an iron-based rare earth material alloy, represented by (Fe1-mTm)100-x-y-zQxRyMz, is prepared, wherein T is Co and/or Ni; Q is B and/or C; R is selected from Y (yttrium) and the rare earth elements; M is selected from Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ga, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ag, Hf, Ta, W, Pt, Au and Pb; 10≦x≦30 at %; 2%≦y<10 at %; 0≦z≦10 at % and 0≦m≦0.5. The melt is fed onto a guide to form a flow of the melt thereon and move the melt onto a melt/chill roller contact region, where the melt is rapidly cooled by the chill roller to make a rapidly solidified alloy. An oxygen concentration of the melt yet to be fed onto the guide is controlled at about 3,000 ppm or less in mass percentage.

Abstract: In this invention, enhancement of the coercive force of the Fe—B—R based magnetic anisotropic sintered magnets was studied by increasing a content of B and, in addition, containing into material a small amount of such as Al, Si, Cu, Cr, Ni, and Mn effective of enhancing the coercive force and excluding from the material harmful impurities such as P, S, and Sb. This material was powdered by usual melting, casting, crushing, or direct reduction method. This powder was subjected to orientation in a magnetic field, compacted, sintered and subjected to heat treatment. Thus the Fe—B—R based sintered permanent magnets were obtained that have the maximum energy product more than 20 MGOe and the coercive force more than 15 kOe.

Abstract: An iron-based rare earth alloy nanocomposite magnet has a composition represented by (Fe1-mTm)100-x-y-zQxRyTiz, where T is Co and/or Ni, Q is B and/or C and R is rare earth element(s) including substantially no La or Ce. x, y, z and m satisfy 10 at %<x≦17 at %, 7 at %≦y<10 at %, 0.5 at %≦z≦6 at % and 0≦m≦0.5, respectively. The magnet includes crystal grains of an R2T14Q type compound having an average grain size of 20 nm to 200 nm and a ferromagnetic iron-based boride that exists in a grain boundary between the crystal grains of the R2T14Q type compound. The boride is dispersed in, or present in the form of a film over, the grain boundary to cover the surface of the crystal grains of the R2T14Q type compound at least partially.

Abstract: To make a raw alloy, consisting mostly of amorphous structure, highly productively and at a reduced cost for a nanocomposite magnet, a molten alloy represented by Fe100-x-y-zRxQyMz (where R is at least one element selected from Pr, Nd, Dy and Tb; Q is B and/or C; M is at least one element selected from Co, Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Ga, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ag, Pt, Au and Pb; and 1 at %≦x<6 at %, 15 at %≦y≦30 at % and 0 at %≦z≦7 at %) is prepared. This molten alloy is rapidly cooled by a strip casting process in which the alloy is fed onto a chill roller, rotating at a peripheral velocity of 3 m/s to less than 20 m/s, at a feeding rate per unit contact width of 0.2 kg/min/cm to 5.2 kg/min/cm. In this manner, an alloy including at least 60 volume percent of amorphous phase can be obtained.