Abstract: An R—Fe—B based rare-earth alloy powder with a mean particle size of less than about 20 ?m is provided and compacted to make a powder compact. Next, the powder compact is subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature of about 550° C. to less than about 1,000° C. within hydrogen gas, thereby producing hydrogenation and disproportionation reactions (HD processes). Then, the powder compact is subjected to another heat treatment at a temperature of about 550° C. to less than about 1,000° C. within either a vacuum or an inert atmosphere, thereby producing desorption and recombination reactions and obtaining a porous material including fine crystal grains, of which the density is about 60% to about 90% of their true density and which have an average crystal grain size of about 0.01 ?m to about 2 ?m (DR processes). Thereafter, the porous material is subjected to yet another heat treatment at a temperature of about 750° C. to less than about 1,000° C.

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 R—Fe—B based porous magnet according to the present invention has an aggregate structure of Nd2Fe14B type crystalline phases with an average grain size of 0.1 ?m to 1 ?m. At least a portion of the magnet is porous and has micropores with a major axis of 1 ?m to 20 ?m.

Abstract: An R—Fe—B based rare-earth alloy powder with a mean particle size of less than about 20 ?m is provided and compacted to make a powder compact. Next, the powder compact is subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature of about 550° C. to less than about 1,000° C. within hydrogen gas, thereby producing hydrogenation and disproportionation reactions (HD processes). Then, the powder compact is subjected to another heat treatment at a temperature of about 550° C. to less than about 1,000° C. within either a vacuum or an inert atmosphere, thereby producing desorption and recombination reactions and obtaining a porous material including fine crystal grains, of which the density is about 60% to about 90% of their true density and which have an average crystal grain size of about 0.01 ?m to about 2 ?m (DR processes). Thereafter, the porous material is subjected to yet another heat treatment at a temperature of about 750° C. to less than about 1,000° C.

Abstract: A surface treating process according to the present invention, a vapor deposited film is formed from an easily oxidizable vapor-depositing material on the surface of a work by evaporating the vapor-depositing material in a state in which the vapor deposition controlling gas has been supplied to at least zones near a melting/evaporating source and the work within a treating chamber. Thus, the vapor deposited film can be formed stably on the surface of a desired work without requirement of a long time for providing a high degree of vacuum and without use of a special apparatus. In addition, the use of the surface treating process ensures that a corrosion resistance can be provided to a rare earth metal-based permanent magnet extremely liable to be oxidized, without degradation of a high magnetic characteristic of the magnet.

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 5%, 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 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 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 process for treating surfaces of rare earth metal-based permanent magnets, comprising removing an oxide layer formed on a surface of each of the permanent magnets using a blasting apparatus. The apparatus comprises a tubular barrel formed of a mesh net for accommodation of work pieces and supported circumferentially outside a center axis of a support member rotatable about the center axis, and an injection nozzle disposed to inject a blast material against the work pieces from the outside of the tubular barrel, wherein at least one of the tubular barrel and the support member is detachably mounted. The process further comprises removing the tubular barrel or the support member from the blasting apparatus and attaching the tubular barrel or the support member to a vapor deposited film forming apparatus, where a metal film is formed on the surface of each of the permanent magnets by a vapor deposition process.

Abstract: A dry surface treating apparatus of the present invention comprises, within a treating chamber, a surface-treating material supply section and a tubular barrel having a porous peripheral surface for accommodating a work piece, to treat a surface of the work piece while rotating the tubular barrel horizontally arranged about a horizontal rotational axis, wherein the tubular barrel has a slide stop for stopping a slide of the accommodated work piece along an inner peripheral surface of the tubular barrel due to rotation of the tubular barrel. According to the dry surface treating apparatus of the invention, because the work piece is inverted of surfaces within the tubular barrel, the time the work piece at each surface faces the surface-treating material supply section is made equivalent. Consequently, it is possible to provide even deposited-film formation or surface treatment to the opposite surfaces of a work piece, particularly, a rare earth metal-based permanent magnet in a plate or bow form.

Abstract: A rare earth metal-based permanent magnet has a film layer formed substantially of only a fine metal powder on a metal forming the surface of the magnet. The rare earth metal-based permanent magnet having the film layer on its surface is produced in the following manner: A rare earth metal-based permanent magnet and a fine metal powder forming material are placed into a treating vessel, where both of them are vibrated and/or agitated, whereby a film layer made of a fine metal powder produced from the fine metal powder producing material is formed on a metal forming the surface of the magnet. Thus, the formation of a corrosion-resistant film such as plated film can be achieved at a high thickness accuracy by forming an electrically conductive layer uniformly and firmly on the entire surface of the magnet without use of a third component such as a resin and a coupling agent.

Abstract: With the deposited-film forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the distance between the tubular barrel and the evaporating section can be varied, unlike the prior art deposited-film forming apparatus and hence, the efficient formation of the deposited film on the surface of each of the work pieces accommodated in the tubular barrel and the inhibition of the softening of the formed film can be achieved simultaneously. Therefore, it is possible to inhibit the damaging of the deposited film formed on the surface of each of the work pieces and the production of projections on the deposited film, and to form a deposited film at a high quality in respect of a corrosion resistance and the like and at low cost.

Abstract: An electroplating device including an anode inserted through and disposed in a hole provided in a work and communicating with the outside, and a member for rotating the work about its center axis and supplying a plating electric current to the work. Alternatively, a separate member may supply the plating electric current to the work. A plating solution in the hole in the work may be allowed to flow. Thus, a uniform plated film can be formed on both of the outer and inner surfaces of the work having the communicating with the outside such as a ring-shaped work, of which a ring-shaped bonded magnet is representative, by using the electroplating device.

Abstract: With the deposited-film forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the distance between the tubular barrel and the evaporating section can be varied, unlike the prior art deposited-film forming apparatus and hence, the efficient formation of the deposited film on the surface of each of the work pieces accommodated in the tubular barrel and the inhibition of the softening of the formed film can be achieved simultaneously. Therefore, it is possible to inhibit the damaging of the deposited film formed on the surface of each of the work pieces and the production of projections on the deposited film, and to form a deposited film at a high quality in respect of a corrosion resistance and the like and at low cost.

Abstract: With the deposited-film forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the distance between the tubular barrel and the evaporating section can be varied, unlike the prior art deposited-film forming apparatus and hence, the efficient formation of the deposited film on the surface of each of the work pieces accommodated in the tubular barrel and the inhibition of the softening of the formed film can be achieved simultaneously. Therefore, it is possible to inhibit the damaging of the deposited film formed on the surface of each of the work pieces and the production of projections on the deposited film, and to form a deposited film at a high quality in respect of a corrosion resistance and the like and at low cost.

Abstract: A resin molded product and a fine metal powder producing material are placed into a treating vessel. The fine metal powder producing material is brought into flowing contact with the surface of the resin molded product, thereby producing a fine metal powder, and forming a metal layer of the fine metal powder on the surface of the resin molded product. In this process, the metal layer of the fine metal powder can be formed firmly and at high density on the surface of the resin molded product. The metal layer exhibits a function as an electrically conductive layer. Therefore, a metal film having an excellent thickness accuracy, an excellent surface smoothness and a high peel strength can be formed in a simple manner on the metal layer by carrying out an electroplating treatment. In addition, it is possible for the metal layer itself to exhibit functions or properties such as an ornamentality.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting production of projections in a metal deposited-film according to the present invention is characterized by using a vapor deposition apparatus comprising, in a vacuum-treating chamber, an evaporating section for a depositing material, and an accommodating member and/or a holding member for accommodation and/or hold of work pieces, respectively, and, in depositing a metal depositing material on each of the surface of the work pieces with the accommodating member and/or the holding member being made rotated about the horizontal rotational axis thereof, carrying out vapor deposition with a Vickers hardness of a film formed on each of the surface of the work pieces maintained at 25 or more. According to the present invention, production of projections in a metal deposited-film can be effectively inhibited when forming the metal deposited-film of aluminum, zinc or the like on the surface of a work piece such as a rare earth metal-based permanent magnet.

Abstract: A process for treating surfaces of rare earth metal-based permanent magnets, comprising removing an oxide layer formed on a surface of each of the permanent magnets using a blasting apparatus. The apparatus comprises a tubular barrel formed of a mesh net for accommodation of work pieces and supported circumferentially outside a center axis of a support member rotatable about the center axis, and an injection nozzle disposed to inject a blast material against the work pieces from the outside of the tubular barrel, wherein at least one of the tubular barrel and the support member is detachably mounted. The process further comprises removing the tubular barrel or the support member from the blasting apparatus and attaching the tubular barrel or the support member to a vapor deposited film forming apparatus, where a metal film is formed on the surface of each of the permanent magnets by a vapor deposition process.

Abstract: A hollow work having a hole communicating with the outside and a fine metal powder producing material are placed into a treating vessel, where the fine metal powder producing material is brought into flowing contact with the surface of the work, thereby adhering a fine metal powder produced from the fine metal powder producing material to the surface of the work. The hollow work may be a ring-shaped bonded magnet. Thus, a film having an excellent corrosion resistance can be formed without use of a third component such as a resin and a coupling agent by providing an electric conductivity to the entire surface of the magnet, i.e., not only to the outer surface (including end faces) but also to the inner surface of the magnet and subjecting the magnet to an electroplating treatment.

Abstract: With the blasting apparatus in which the injection nozzle is disposed to inject the blast material against the work pieces from the outside of the tubular barrel formed of the mesh net for accommodation of the work pieces and rotatable about the center axis, the work pieces can be stirred homogenously and efficiently without excessive occurrence of the collision of the work pieces against one another and without occurrence of the collision of the work pieces against one another and with a strong shock force. Therefore, the treating efficiency is enhanced and, it is possible to inhibit the occurrence of the cracking and breaking of the work pieces. Further, with the blasting apparatus in which the tubular barrel is supported circumferentially outside the center axis of the support member rotatable about the center axis, it is possible to more inhibit the occurrence of the cracking and breaking of the work pieces.