Magnetic and mechanical hardening of nano-lamellar magnets using thermo-magnetic fields.

High-performance magnetic materials based on rare-earth intermetallic compounds are critical for energy conversion technologies. However, the high cost and supply risks of rare-earth elements necessitate the development of affordable alternatives. Another challenge lies in the inherent brittleness of current magnets, which limits their applications for high dynamic mechanical loading conditions during service and complex shape design during manufacturing towards high efficiency and sustainability.

Voltage-Gated 90° Switching of Bulk Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy in Ferrimagnets.

Unraveling the mechanism behind bulk perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in amorphous rare earth-transition metal films has proven challenging. This is largely due to the inherent complexity of the amorphous structure and the entangled potential origins arising from microstructure and atomic structure factors. Here, we present an approach wherein the magneto-electric effect is harnessed to induce 90° switching of bulk PMA in Tb-Co films to in-plane directions by applying voltages of only -1.

ULtimate MAGnetic characterization (ULMAG) at the ID12 beamline of ESRF: from element-specific properties to macroscopic functionalities.

We present a novel instrument designed for advanced magnetic study, installed at the ID12 beamline of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble, France. This instrument offers the unique capability to simultaneously measure element-specific microscopic and macroscopic properties related to the magnetic, electronic and structural characteristics of materials. In addition to X-ray absorption, X-ray magnetic circular dichroism alongside X-ray diffraction patterns, the macroscopic magnetization, volume changes, caloric properties and electrical resistivity of magnetic materials could be measured strictly under the same experimental conditions as a function of both magnetic field (up to ±7 T) and temperature (ranging from 2.

Stable Operation of Copper-Protected La(FeMnSi)H Regenerators in a Magnetic Cooling Unit.

Magnetic refrigeration leads the current commercialization efforts of ambient caloric cooling technologies, is considered among its peers most promising in terms of anticipated energy efficiency gain, and allows for complete elimination of harmful coolants. By now, functional magnetocaloric components (so-called regenerators) based on Mn-substituted and hydrogenated LaFeSi alloys are commercially available. However, this alloy system exhibits magnetostriction, is susceptible to fracture, oxidation, and does not passivate well, rendering it prone to failure and corrosion, particularly when using water as favorable heat exchange medium.

Two-gigapascal-strong ductile soft magnets.

Soft magnetic materials (SMMs) are indispensable for electromechanical energy conversion in high-efficiency applications, but they are exposed to increasing mechanical loading conditions in electric motors due to higher rotational speeds. Enhancing the yield strength of SMMs is essential to prevent the degradation in magnetic performance and failure from plastic deformation, yet most SMMs have yield strengths far below one gigapascal. Here, we present a multicomponent nanostructuring strategy that doubles the yield strength of SMMs while maintaining ductility.