Magnetic and crystallographic properties of the permanent magnet systems (R1-xScx)2Fe14B (R=Y, Nd, Dy, Er, Lu)

Magnetic and crystallographic measurements have been made on the rare-earth iron boride systems (R1−xScx)2Fe14B (R=Y, Nd, Dy, Er, Lu). Powder x-ray diffraction data indicate that a Nd2Fe14B-type single phase persists up to x=0.2 with lattice parameters decreasing slightly due to the smaller metallic radius of the Sc3+ ions. The variation of magnetic moments per formula unit with nonmagnetic Sc substitution depends on the smaller Sc size and the nature of the magnetic alignment of the rare-earth sublattice (nonmagnetic in Y and Lu, ferromagnetic axial in Nd, ferromagnetic planar in Er, and antiferromagnetic axial in Dy) with respect to the iron sublattice. The Curie temperature TC decreases monotonically with progressive addition of Sc atoms.