The present invention relates to magnetic materials made by rapid solidification processes which exhibit high remanence and intrinsic coercivity values and low flux-aging loss. More specifically, the invention relates to isotropic Nd--Fe--B type materials with remanence and intrinsic coercivity values of greater than 8.0 kG and 10.0 kOe, respectively, at room temperature, and bonded magnets made from the magnetic materials with low flux-aging loss and are suitable for high temperature applications. The invention also relates to methods of making the magnetic materials and the bonded magnets.
Carbon addition to the rapidly solidified, preferably melt spun, alloy system of Sm(Co, Fe, Cu, Zr) provides for good isotropic magnetic properties. Importantly, these alloys are nanocomposite in nature and comprise the SmCoC.sub.2 phase. Thermal processing of these materials can achieve good magnetic properties at lower temperatures and/or shorter processing times than conventional Sm(Co, Fe, Cu, Zr) powders for bonded magnet application.
Manganese-free rare earth-transition metal AB.sub.5 -type hydrogen-absorbing alloys having favorable high rate discharge characteristics, suitable for use in rechargeable batteries for electrical vehicles or hybrid electrical vehicles, include compositions of the general formula: R(Co.sub.u Al.sub.v M.sub.w Ni.sub.1-u-v-w).sub.z, where R is at least one element selected from rare earth elements and yttrium (Y), M is at least one refractory metal selected from Groups IVB, VB, and VIB of the periodic table, the value of u is from 0 to about 0.25, v is from 0 to about 0.10, w is from 0 to about 0.05, and z, the ratio of R(Co.sub.u Al.sub.v M.sub.w Ni.sub.1-u-v-w)/R, is from about 4.70 to about 5.50. The unit cell volume is from about 87 to about 88.5 A.sup.3 at 25.degree. C., the plateau pressure is from about 3 to about 10 apsi at 25.degree. C., and the composition is essentially free of manganese.