Densification of SmCo5 powder magnets by cold working

Abstract

1. An investigation was carried out into the pressing of powders of the brittle intermetallic compound SmCo5 in a magnetic field and into the desnfication of SmCo5 powder magnets by cold working under conditions of high hydrostatic pressures. 2. A device has been constructed for pressing powders in a magnetic field by the application of high fluid pressure, in which the movement of powder in the direction of the orienting magnetic field is restricted. 3. In the pressing of SmCo5 powders in a magnetic field with restricted powder displacement in the direction of the field, the degree of particle orientation (degree of magnetic texture) in the resultant magnets grows linearly with increase in the strength of the orienting field. A degree of texture close to unity is attained in fields of about 15 kOe. 4. Cold working with a reduction of 15–20% under conditions of high hydrostatic pressure enables the density of SmCo5 powder magnets to be increase to 90–94% of theoretical.