Microstructural studies of ternary rare earth-iron alloys

Abstract

The microstructure of some ternary Dy-Tb-Fe alloys has been studied with particular reference to the cubic Laves phase compounds of general formula RFe 2. Compositions corresponding to two pseudobinary sections intersecting in the highly magnetostrictive phase Dy 0.73Tb 0.27Fe 2 (terfenol) have been examined. The variation of microstructure and the effect of heat treatment on the density and distribution of precipitates has been investigated with a view to determining the role of such defects in the magnetization process in these compounds.