Graphene-Enhanced NdFeB Magnet Material for Cost Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Neodymium-iron-boron (Nd—Fe—B) permanent magnet materials face challenges with high costs and scarcity of heavy rare earth elements like dysprosium and terbium, along with limitations in temperature resistance, conductivity, and stability.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating graphene into the Nd—Fe—B magnet alloy powders with other raw materials like neodymium, praseodymium, boron, cobalt, copper, lanthanum, and cerium, reducing the need for heavy rare earth elements, and using a method involving proportional mixing, orientation under a magnet field, isostatic pressing, and sintering to create a graphene-containing rare earth permanent magnet material with improved properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heavy rare earth elements like dysprosium and terbium are included in Nd-Fe-B permanent magnet materials to obtain high-performance materials, then magnetic properties and temperature resistance are improved, but cost increases and supply stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the compositional parameters by replacing heavy rare earth elements (dysprosium, terbium) with graphene and light rare earth elements (praseodymium, lanthanum, cerium). This parameter substitution maintains temperature resistance while reducing cost and supply risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining Nd-Fe-B magnet alloy with graphene and light rare earth elements. This composite approach achieves high-performance magnetic properties and temperature resistance without relying on expensive heavy rare earth elements.
2Reliability
If heavy rare earth elements like dysprosium and terbium are included in Nd-Fe-B permanent magnet materials to obtain high-performance materials, then magnetic properties and temperature resistance are improved, but supply stability deteriorates due to strict controlling policies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the compositional parameters by replacing heavy rare earth elements (dysprosium, terbium) with graphene and light rare earth elements (praseodymium, lanthanum, cerium). This parameter substitution maintains temperature resistance while reducing supply stability risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes expensive and scarce heavy rare earth elements with more abundant and cheaper materials (graphene and light rare earth elements), reducing both cost and supply chain vulnerability.
3Quantity of substance
If graphene is incorporated into Nd-Fe-B magnet alloy powders, then cost and rare earth element usage are reduced, but manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges graphene incorporation with the existing magnet alloy powder preparation process. Graphene is mixed with Nd-Fe-B alloy powders containing light rare earth elements, and the combined mixture undergoes standard sintering procedures, integrating the innovation into conventional manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the compositional parameters by adding graphene and adjusting rare earth element ratios, but maintains standard sintering temperature ranges (900-1100°C) and process sequences, minimizing manufacturing complexity increases.
4Reliability
If graphene is incorporated into Nd-Fe-B magnet alloy powders, then conductivity and temperature resistance are improved, but sintering process control difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes sintering parameters (temperature 900-1100°C, time 2-4 hours, atmosphere control) to achieve proper graphene integration and phase formation. These parameter adjustments improve conductivity and temperature resistance while maintaining controllable manufacturing precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resulting graphene-containing rare earth permanent magnet material exhibits enhanced temperature resistance, conductivity, and magnetic properties while reducing the usage and cost of rare earth elements, promoting efficient resource utilization and stable product performance.
Implementation Method 1
incorporating graphene... exhibits excellent properties such as good temperature resistance, conductivity
Implementation Method 2
orientating the graphene-containing rare earth permanent magnet powder under a magnet field
Implementation Method 3
sintering the isostatic pressed green body in a sintering furnace
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention involves a graphene-containing rare earth permanent magnet material and preparation method thereof. The graphene-containing rare earth permanent magnet material, comprising: 20.6 to 23.4 weight percent of neodymium, 6.6 to 7.5 weight percent of praseodymium, 0.95 to 1.20 weight percent of boron, 0.4 to 0.6 weight percent of cobalt, 0.11 to 0.15 weight percent of copper, 2.0 to 2.4 weight percent of lanthanum, 1.7 to 2.1 weight percent of cerium, 1 to 5 weight percent of graphene, a remainder being iron. The graphene-containing rare earth permanent magnet material exhibits excellent temperature resistance, good conductivity and magnet properties even without any heavy rare earth elements like terbium or dysprosium, which dramatically reduces the cost, promotes the efficient utilization of rare earth resources and improves product quality. The preparation method within this invention is simple to realize, easy to control, cost-effective and has high production efficiency and stable product performances.