Abstract
In this study, dense bulk iron nitrides (FexN) were synthesized for the first time ever using spark plasma sintering (SPS) of FexN powders. The Fe4N phase of iron nitride in particular has significant potential to serve as a new soft magnetic material in both transformer and inductor cores and electrical machines. The density of SPSed FexN increased with SPS temperature and pressure. The microstructure of the consolidated bulk FexN was characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry. XRD revealed a primary phase of Fe4N with secondary phases of Fe3N and metallic iron. Finite element analysis (FEA) was also applied to investigate and explain localized heating and temperature distribution during SPS. The effects of processing on interface bonding formation and phase evolution were investigated and discussed in detail to provide insight into fundamental phenomena and microstructural evolution in SPSed FexN.Graphic abstract
Highlights
New, high-saturation magnetization (Ms) and low-loss soft magnetic materials will be vital for the generation of power conversion electronics and electrical machines [1]
In view of the above facts, we have investigated the synthesis and magnetic behavior of dense bulk FexN from FexN powders using Spark plasma sintering (SPS), which enables the direct consolidation and shaping of F exN transformer and inductor cores from raw starting materials in a matter of minutes, without the decomposition of F exN that would occur using conventional sintering techniques [13]
At low magnification in the polished sections, uniform contrast is observed without secondary phases being evident
Summary
High-saturation magnetization (Ms) and low-loss soft magnetic materials will be vital for the generation of power conversion electronics and electrical machines [1]. Since iron nitrides (FexN, x = 2–4) are comprised entirely of low-cost abundant elements and many phases of the iron nitride system offer the promise of better magnetic properties, this class of materials beckons further investigation [2, 3]. According to experimental results [2, 10, 11] from thin films and theoretical calculations [2], several phases of iron nitride would have magnetic moments well in excess of current state of the art soft magnetic materials. To date, FexN has primarily been fabricated as thin films, powder, or inclusions in other materials [11, 12]. Bulk FexN was rarely fabricated because a relatively high sintering temperature is required using conventional powder sintering processes.
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