Bulk nanocomposite magnets and methods of making bulk nanocomposite magnets

1. A method of making a bulk magnetic nanocomposite comprising:

a) providing a first powder comprising at least one hard magnetic component having an anisotropic field greater than or equal to about 5000 Oe;

b) providing a second powder comprising at least one soft magnetic component having an anisotropic field less than or equal to about 1000 Oe;

c) combining said first and second powders to form a mixture;

d) processing said mixture by plastically deforming said mixture to form a processed mixture having at least a one thousand time size reduction of soft magnetic component inclusions; and

e) warm compacting said processed mixture to form a bulk magnetic nanocomposite, comprising:

a matrix comprising said at least one hard magnetic component; and

a plurality of particles comprising said at least one soft magnetic component;

wherein said plurality of particles of said soft magnetic component are no larger than about 20 nm in at least one dimension and the plurality of particles of said soft magnetic component are homogenously distributed in the matrix.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said processed mixture immediately prior to the warm compacting is at least one of ingots, ribbons, and a powder.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing said mixture to form a processed mixture comprises one or more of ball milling, rolling, and crushing.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing said mixture by plastically deforming said mixture causes micron-sized particles in the mixture to form composites with nanoscale morphology.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one hard magnetic component is selected from the group consisting of SmCo 3 , SmCo 5 , SmCo 7 , Sm 2 Co 7 , Nd 2 Fe 14 B, and FePt and mixtures thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one soft magnetic component is selected from the group consisting of α-Fe, FeCo alloys, Fe 4 N, Fe 8 N, FeB, and FeNi alloys and mixtures thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of said first powder to said second powder ranges from about 99 to 1 to about 65 to 35.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing and the warm compacting are carried out under a substantially inert atmosphere.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing and the warm compacting are carried out under a substantially reducing atmosphere.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing and the warm compacting are carried out under an atmosphere substantially free of oxygen.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing said mixture to form a processed mixture is carried out for a time period sufficient to obtain a processed mixture wherein said at least one soft magnetic component exists in dispersed particles of a desired size and shape.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the warm compacting is carried out at a temperature and pressure and for a time chosen to minimize grain growth or maximize the energy product of the bulk magnetic nanocomposite.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the warm compacting is performed at a temperature of less than about 300° C.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the bulk magnetic nanocomposite has a density of at least 87%.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the warm compacting is performed at a temperature of about 20° C., or about 100° C., or about 200° C.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the bulk magnetic nanocomposite has a density of at least 87%.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises annealing said processed mixture.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the annealing is carried out at a temperature and for a time chosen to maximize the energy product of the bulk magnetic nanocomposite.

19. A method of making a bulk magnetic nanocomposite comprising:

a) providing a first powder comprising at least one first hard magnetic component, wherein the first hard magnetic component is a brittle material;

b) providing a second powder comprising at least one second magnetic component, wherein the second magnetic component is a ductile material;

c) combining said first and second powders to form a mixture;

d) processing said mixture by plastically deforming said mixture to form a processed mixture having about a one thousand time size reduction of second magnetic component dispersed particles; and

e) warm compacting said processed mixture to form a bulk magnetic nanocomposite, comprising:

a matrix comprising said at least one hard magnetic component; and

a plurality of particles comprising said at least one second magnetic component;

wherein said plurality of particles of said second magnetic component are no larger than about 20 nm in at least one dimension and the plurality of particles of said second magnetic component are homogenously distributed in the matrix.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein each of the at least one first hard magnetic component is selected from the group consisting of SmCo 3 ,SmCo 5 ,SmCo 7 , Sm 2 Co 7 , and the at least one second magnetic component is selected from the group consisting of Nd 2 Fe 14 B, and FePt and mixtures thereof.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the at least one first hard magnetic component is SmCo 5 and the at least one second magnetic component is Nd 2 Fe 14 B.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the processing said mixture to form a processed mixture is carried out for a time period sufficient to obtain a processed mixture wherein said at least one second magnetic component exists in dispersed particles of a desired size and shape.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the processing said mixture by plastically deforming said mixture causes micron-sized particles in the mixture to form composites with nanoscale morphology.

24. The method of claim 19 , wherein the warm compacting is carried out at a temperature and pressure and for a time chosen to maximize one or more of the energy product, the magnetization, and the thermal stability exhibited by the bulk magnetic nanocomposite.

25. The method of claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises annealing said processed mixture.

26. The method of claim 22 , wherein the desired size and shape are chosen to maximize one or more of the energy product, the magnetization, and the thermal stability exhibited by the bulk magnetic nanocomposite.

27. The method of claim 25 , wherein the annealing is carried out at a temperature and for a time chosen to maximize one or more of the energy product, the magnetization, and the thermal stability exhibited by the bulk magnetic nanocomposite.