Effect of niobium substitution on the magnetic properties of Nd2Fe14B and Nd2Fe12Co2B alloys

The results of magnetic and structural measurements performed on the Nd2Fe14-xNbxB and Nd2Fe12-xNbxCo2B compounds with 0 ⪅ x⪅ 0.5 are presented. All the compounds studied crystallize in the tetragonal Nd2Fe14B structure. The saturation moments decrease by introducing Nb. The rate of the decrease is larger than that expected by a simple dilution model. The Curie temperatures and anisotropy fields are found to increase. Thus a small amount of Nb incorporated into Nd2Fe12Co2B may benefit this material for permanent magnet fabrication.