Alloy for sintered R-T-B-M magnet and method for producing same

1. A material alloy used to produce a sintered R-T-B-M magnet having a composition that comprises:

12 at % to 17 at % of R, which represents rare-earth elements that include both a light rare-earth element RL and a heavy rare-earth element RH and which includes either Nd or Pr as the light rare-earth element RL and at least one of Tb, Dy and Ho as the heavy rare-earth element RH;

5 at % to 8 at % of B, part of which is replaceable with C;

2 at % or less of an additive element M, which is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ag, In, Sn, Hf, Ta, W, Pb and Bi; and

T (which is a transition metal that includes Fe as a major component and that possibly includes Co) and inevitable impurities as the balance,

wherein a continuous region where the heavy rare-earth element RH has a high concentration is present at an interface between crystals of an R 2 T 14 B compound that is a main phase and an R-rich phase so as to cover a length of at least 10 μm along the major axis of the crystals of the R 2 T 14 B compound.

2. A method for producing a material alloy used to produce a sintered R-T-B-M magnet, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an R-T-B-M master alloy that includes: 12 at % to 17 at % of R, which represents rare-earth elements that include both a light rare-earth element RL and a heavy rare-earth element RH and which always includes either Nd or Pr as the light rare-earth element RL and at least one of Tb, Dy and Ho as the heavy rare-earth element RH; 5 at % to 8 at % of B, part of which is replaceable with C; 2 at % or less of an additive element M, which is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ag, In, Sn, Hf, Ta, W, Pb and Bi; and T (which is a transition metal that includes Fe as a major component and that possibly includes Co) and inevitable impurities as the balance;

providing a metal or alloy of the heavy rare-earth element RH that includes 20 at % or more of the heavy rare-earth element RH; and

putting the R-T-B-M master alloy and the metal or alloy of the heavy rare-earth element RH in a processing space with a gap between the R-T-B-M master alloy and the metal or alloy of the heavy rare-earth element RH and subjecting the master alloy and the metal or alloy of the heavy rare-earth element RH to a heat treatment at a temperature of 600° C. to 1,000° C. within an atmosphere at a pressure of 10 Pa or less for at least 10 minutes and up to 48 hours.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the R-T-B-M master alloy is prepared by strip casting process.

4. A method for producing a sintered R-T-B-M magnet, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the material alloy of claim 1 ;

pulverizing the material alloy to obtain a material alloy powder;

compacting the material alloy powder to obtain a powder compact; and

sintering the powder compact.

5. A sintered R-T-B-M magnet produced by the method of claim 4 .