Magnetic and structural properties of SmCo5/α-Fe nanocomposites

SmCo5/ alpha- Fe magnetic nanocomposites have been obtained by mechanical milling in a planetary mill and subsequent annealing. Under all experimental conditions, only the pure SmCo5 phase and the a- Fe one were observed by X- ray diffraction. In the as- milled state, a significant remanence- enhancement effect is already found in a reference sample made of SmCo5 nanograins. In nanocomposites, the coercive field, mu H-0(c), is below 0.1 T. After annealing, coercivity develops, up to a maximum value mu H-0(c) = 0.36T under optimal conditions. The associated remanent magnetization reaches 69Am(2)/ kg. (c) 2006 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.