Exchange-coupled nanoscale SmCo/NdFeB hybrid magnets

Nanoscale hybrid magnets containing SmCo5 and Nd2Fe14B hard magnetic phases have been produced via a novel ‘‘in-one-pot’’ processing route. The grain size of the processed bulk composite materials is controlled below 20 nm. The refinement of the nanoscale morphology leads to effective inter-phase exchange coupling that results in single-phase like magnetic properties. Energy product of 14 MGOe was obtained in the isotropic nanocomposite magnets at room temperature. At elevated temperatures, the hybrid magnets have greatly improved thermal stability compared to the Nd2Fe14B single-phase counterpart and have substantially increased magnetization and energy products compared to the single-phase SmCo5 counterpart. & 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.