Magnetic and mechanical hardening of nano-lamellar magnets using thermo-magnetic fields

Liuliu Han (), Jin Wang, Nicolas J. Peter, Fernando Maccari, András Kovács, Ruth Schwaiger, Oliver Gutfleisch and Dierk Raabe
Additional contact information
Liuliu Han: Max-Planck-Straße 1
Jin Wang: Forschungszentrum Jülich
Nicolas J. Peter: Forschungszentrum Jülich
Fernando Maccari: Technical University of Darmstadt
András Kovács: Forschungszentrum Jülich
Ruth Schwaiger: Forschungszentrum Jülich
Oliver Gutfleisch: Technical University of Darmstadt
Dierk Raabe: Max-Planck-Straße 1

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract High-performance magnetic materials based on rare-earth intermetallic compounds are critical for energy conversion technologies. However, the high cost and supply risks of rare-earth elements necessitate the development of affordable alternatives. Another challenge lies in the inherent brittleness of current magnets, which limits their applications for high dynamic mechanical loading conditions during service and complex shape design during manufacturing towards high efficiency and sustainability. Here, we propose a strategy to simultaneously enhance the magnetic and mechanical performance of a rare-earth-free multicomponent magnet. We achieve this by introducing nano-lamellar structures with high shape anisotropy into a cobalt–iron–nickel–aluminum material system through eutectoid decomposition under externally applied thermo-magnetic fields. Compared to the conventional thermally activated processing, the thermo-magnetic field accelerates phase decomposition kinetics, producing finer lamellae spacings and smaller eutectoid colonies. The well-tailored size, density, interface, and chemistry of the nano-lamellae enhance their pinning effect against the motion of both magnetic domain walls and dislocations, resulting in concurrent gains in coercivity and mechanical strength. Our work demonstrates a rational pathway to designing multifunctional rare-earth-free magnets for energy conversion devices such as high-speed motors and generators operating under harsh service conditions.

Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-57571-6 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-57571-6

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57571-6

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().