Soft magnetic materials and methods of making

Abstract

An article including a monolithic body including iron, cobalt, and nitrogen is provided. The monolithic body includes a matrix phase and a plurality of particles disposed within the matrix phase. The particles include a phase comprising nitrogen.

1 . An article comprising: 
 a monolithic body comprising iron, cobalt, and nitrogen; wherein the monolithic body comprises a matrix phase and a plurality of particles disposed within the matrix phase, the particles comprising a phase comprising nitrogen.    
   
   
       2 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic body has a thickness of at least about 100 micrometers.  
   
   
       3 . The article according to  claim 2 , wherein the monolithic body has a thickness in the range from about 500 micrometers to about 200 millimeters.  
   
   
       4 . The article according to  claim 2 , wherein the monolithic body has a thickness in the range from about 700 micrometers to about 10 millimeters.  
   
   
       5 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the matrix phase comprises cobalt in the range from about 15 atomic percent to about 55 atomic percent.  
   
   
       6 . The article according to  claim 5 , wherein the matrix phase comprises cobalt in the range from about 30 atomic percent to about 40 atomic percent.  
   
   
       7 . The article according to  claim 5 , wherein the matrix phase comprises cobalt in the range from about 45 atomic percent to about 52 atomic percent.  
   
   
       8 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic body comprises nitrogen less than about 6 atomic percent.  
   
   
       9 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic body comprises nitrogen in the range from about 0.05 atomic percent to about 2 atomic percent.  
   
   
       10 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the matrix phase has a median grain size less than about 1 millimeter.  
   
   
       11 . The article according to  claim 10 , wherein the matrix phase has a median grain size in the range from about 100 nanometers to about 2 microns.  
   
   
       12 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic body further comprises a nitride-former selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Nb, Zr, Hf, Cr, Al, B, Si, Ta, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The article according to  claim 12 , wherein the monolithic body comprises the nitride-former in the range from about 0.05 atomic percent to about 3 atomic percent.  
   
   
       14 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the particle comprises a nitride, an oxynitride, or a carbonitride.  
   
   
       15 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the particles are present in the monolithic body in an amount up to about 5 volume percent.  
   
   
       16 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of particles has a median particle size not more than about 1 micron.  
   
   
       17 . The article according to  claim 15 , the plurality of particles has a median particle size not more than about 100 nanometers.  
   
   
       18 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic body has a saturation magnetization of at least about 1.8 T.  
   
   
       19 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the article is a component of an electric device selected from the group consisting of a generator, a motor, and an alternator.  
   
   
       20 . The article according to  claim 19 , wherein the article is an electric generator rotor.  
   
   
       21 . The article according to  claim 1 , wherein the article is a component of a device selected from the group consisting of a magnetic bearing, an electromagnet pole piece, an actuator, an armature, a solenoid, an ignition core, or a transformer.  
   
   
       22 . An article comprising: 
 a monolithic body comprising iron, cobalt, and nitrogen; wherein the monolithic body comprises a matrix phase and a plurality of particles disposed substantially throughout the matrix phase, wherein the matrix phase comprises cobalt in the range from about 30 atomic percent to about 40 atomic percent, and the particles are present in an amount up to about 5 volume percent.    
   
   
       23 . An article comprising: 
 a monolithic body comprising iron, cobalt, and nitrogen; wherein the monolithic body comprises a matrix phase and a plurality of particles disposed substantially throughout the matrix phase, wherein the matrix phase comprises cobalt in the range from about 45 atomic percent to about 52 atomic percent, and the particles are present in an amount up to about 5 volume percent.    
   
   
       24 . A method comprising: 
 providing an a monolithic body comprising iron and cobalt; and    introducing nitrogen into the monolithic body.    
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein introducing nitrogen comprises a method selected from the group consisting of cryomilling in liquid nitrogen, nitriding, nitrogen ion implantation, and pressure infiltration of nitrogen.  
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the monolithic body further comprises a nitride-former selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Nb, Zr, Hf, Cr, Al, B, Si, Ta, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the monolithic body comprises nitrogen in the range from about 0.05 atomic percent to about 2 atomic percent.