Zero-G processing of magnets. Experiment MA-070

Abstract

The magnetic compounds under study, manganese-bismuth (MnBi) copper-cobalt-cerium (Cu,Co)5Ce, are representative of magnetic alloy systems that have the potential for the development of high coercive strength and a high energy product. The samples of 50 at. % bismuth and 50 at. % manganese solidified in the low-g environment demonstrated a substantial improvement in the macroscopic chemical homogeneity. The bismuth/manganese-bismuth directionally solidified eutectic flight samples exhibited marked superior magnetic properties. Intrinsic coercive strengths in excess of 185 Koe have been measured in the low-g processed samples at 77 K. The average value of inductance was improved by 76 percent, and the energy product was improved by 57 percent. Additional results indicate that, in the near-absence of the gravitational body force, contained fluids will assume a lowest energy configuration that differs significantly from that found terrestrially.