Structure and Magnetic Properties of Mechanically Alloyed Fe90Al8C2 (wt.%) Powders

The structure, morphological, thermal, and magnetic properties of the mechanically alloyed Fe90Al8C2 (wt.%) powders were investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and vibrating sample magnetometry, respectively. The XRD analysis reveals a mixture of three disordered solid solutions (Fe1-SS, Fe2-SS, and Fe3-SS) with different lattice parameters and crystallite sizes. The saturation magnetization swings between 128 and 133 emu/g, and the coercivity is between 90 and 62 Oe. After heating to 1100 degrees C, the XRD results show the formation of nanocrystalline (Fe, Al)(3)C-type carbide and two Fe-type solid solutions. The heated samples exhibit enhanced magnetic properties with enhanced saturation magnetization (Ms = 132.97-179.76 emu/g) and reduced coercivity (Hc = 46.59-53.63 Oe). The composite Fe-Al-C structure can be considered a potential candidate for soft magnetic applications.