Copper-substituted Nd2Co17-xCux alloys: structural evolution, electromagnetic properties, and microwave absorption
摘要
Nd2Co17-xCuₓ (x = 0.0–0.4) alloy micropowders were fabricated by vacuum arc melting followed by high-energy ball milling. The effects of Cu substitution for Co on the phase structure, micromorphology, and microwave electromagnetic parameters were systematically investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and vector network analysis (VNA). The results indicate that all samples retain the typical 2:17-type crystal structure, with unit cell volume contracting gradually with increasing Cu content. The average particle size of milled powders rises with Cu addition, and the microwave absorption peak shifts to higher frequencies. The Nd2Co16.8Cu0.2 micropowder exhibits good microwave-absorbing performance at a matching thickness of 1.8 mm, with a minimum reflection loss of −37.5 dB at 6.2 GHz.