Preparation and Magnetic Properties of MnBi/Co Nanocomposite Magnets
The method of synthesis and the magnetic properties of MnBi/Co nanocomposite magnets prepared with a combination of the magnetically hard MnBi alloy and semi-hard Co nanowires (CoNWs) have been investigated. The MnBi alloys were produced by arc-melting and temperature-gradient-driven annealing techniques. The CoNWs with high spontaneous magnetization Ms (125 emu/g) and large aspect ratio α (5 ÷ 10) were synthesized by the solvothermal method. The nanocomposite MnBi/Co powder mixtures were cold ball-milled, aligned in an 18-kOe-field and warm-compacted into bulk magnets at 300°C under a uniaxial pressure of 2000 psi for 10 min. The magnetization and coercivity of the nanocomposite magnets were improved due to the intrinsic high magnetization and shape anisotropy of the CoNWs. The energy product, (BH)max, of the MnBi/Co nanocomposite magnets with 15 wt.% CoNWs reached its highest value of 4.8 MGOe. The simulation of magnetic properties of MnBi/Co magnets is also discussed in detail.