A large-scale synthesis of Co atoms modulated Sm2Fe17N3 powders
摘要
It is still a key challenge to balance the controlling synthesis and scale-up preparation of Co-substituted Sm2Fe17N3 powders to meet bonded magnets’ requirements. Herein, a reduction–diffusion technology assisted by KCl was developed to prepare kilogram-scale Sm2(Fe1-xCox)17N3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.18) single-phase powders based on a custom-designed rotary furnace. The addition of KCl and employment of rotary annealing equipment could greatly improve the uniformity of phase and element distribution, even in kilogram-scale preparation. Attributed to the controllable Co substitution and the multiscale feature with powder size in the range of 0.3–3.0 μm, the optimal magnetic properties are achieved in Sm2(Fe0.88Co0.12)17N3, with a coercivity of 1053.9 kA·m−1, saturation magnetization of 118.84 Am2·kg−1, and maximum energy product of 865.8 kJ·m−3. Density functional theory calculations demonstrate that Co substitution modifies the electron density of Sm, leading to enhanced magnetic properties. This work provides both fundamental insights and a practical route for the scalable production of high-performance Sm2Fe17N3 powders, accelerating their commercialization in bonded magnets.
Graphical abstract