A Study of R₂T₁₄B (R = Y, Nd, Gd, Ho, T = Fe, Co) Hard Magnetic Materials via Magnetometry and Atomic Force Microscopy

Magnetometry and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to study the magnetic and structural properties of the R-Fe-B-type (R = Y, Nd, Gd, Ho) alloys. The alloys were synthesized by means of induction melting. The nanocrystalline state of the R-Fe-B-type alloys was reached, mainly, by melt spinning (MS). A multistage treatment of R-Fe-B-type alloys, which included severe plastic deformation of melt-quenched ribbons and subsequent heat treatment, was also used. The surface morphology of samples was studied in detail to interpret the observed magnetic hysteresis loops of the samples. It was found that the type of rare earth ion and treatment methods had the most important influence on the microstructure and magnetic properties.