Quenching experiments on cobalt-samarium magnets

The purpose of this study was to further elucidate the post-sintering heat treatment response of liquid-phase sintered cobalt-samarium magnets. Specimens water quenched from temperatures between 500°C and the prior sintering temperature, 1117°C, were subjected to magnetic and X-ray diffraction analyses. All specimens contained a mixture of samarium oxides, one of which was cubic Sm2O3. A new and unidentified phase was found to appear at 750°C. This corresponded to a minimum in the coercivity similar to that reported by Westendorp. No evidence of a precipitate phase clearly related to the obtention of high coercivity was found, contrary to Westendorp´s suggestion. The magnetic properties and X-ray diffraction data for selected specimens are given.