Exchange interactions and magnetization reversal of nanocrystalline (NdDyTb)12.3(FeZrNbCu)81.7B6.0 ribbons with Co substitution

Alloys of composition Nd_10.8Dy_0.75Tb_0.75Fe_79.7−xCo_xZr_0.8Nb_0.8Cu_0.4B_6.0 (x=0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15) were prepared by melt spinning at 22 m/s and subsequent annealing. Phase analysis revealed single-phase materials. Magnetic structure and remanence analysis indicated strong exchange coupling between neighboring grains in all samples. The remanence polarization J_r and maximum energy product (BH)_max increased first and then decreased with further increasing Co content x although the intrinsic coercivity H_ci decreased with increasing x. The increase in remanence polarization J_r by the substitution of Co for Fe is mainly caused by the increase in the saturation polarization J_s rather than by the improvement of exchange-coupling interactions. Optimum magnetic properties with J_r=1.041 T, H_ci=944.9 kA/m and (BH)_max=155.1 kJ/m³ were achieved for x=12 ribbons. The mechanism of magnetic hardening in all samples was of pinning type by analyzing initial magnetization and the dependence on applied magnetizing field of the coercivity and remanence.