Controlled Atmosphere Plasma Spraying of NdFeB Magnet Materials

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Controlled Atmosphere Plasma Spraying of NdFeB Magnet Materials--APS Material, Inc., 4011 Riverside Drive, Dayton, OH 45405-2364; (937) 278-6547
Mr. Michael C. Wilson, Principal Investigator
Mr. Joseph T. Cheng, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-97ER82328
Amount: $75,000
Permanent magnet materials with improved properties are needed for a variety of applications ranging from large electric motors to magnetic data storage devices. Magnets made of neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) materials are currently of interest because of their strong magnetic characteristics, however, there is a need for new magnet manufacturing methods to improve the resistance to demagnetization of these kinds of magnets. This project is to apply a new and versatile coating and material deposition process, called Controlled Atmosphere Plasma Spraying, or CAPS, to the manufacturing of NdFeB permanent magnets in useful shapes and sizes that also display a high resistance to demagnetization. The Phase I project will determine the feasibility of the controlled atmosphere plasma spraying method to fabricate the NdFeB permanent magnets with acceptable magnetic properties. The initial work will concentrate on optimization of process variables, such as power level, deposition rate, etc., as they influence the coercivity (a measure of the resistance to demagnetization) and other physical and magnetic properties of NdFeB material. Success in the Phase I project will then lead in Phase II to the development of a NdFeB magnet manufacturing process using the controlled atmosphere plasma spraying method. The primary objective of Phase II will be the development of a high volume production process that is superior to existing permanent magnet manufacturing methods for a number of applications.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The availability of high coercivity NdFeB permanent magnet materials in complex shapes at an economical cost would create many new applications in the commercial and military markets. Improved NdFeB magnets would generate immediate interest in the automotive, computer, and other industries. Development of an economical manufacturing process for producing these magnets would result in new and smaller equipment designs with higher performance.