Determination of the easy axes of small ferromagnetic precipitates in a bulk material by combined magnetic force microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction techniques

A method to determine the magnetic easy axes of micro- and nanoscopic ferromagnetic precipitates embedded in a bulk material is proposed and applied to globular cementite (Fe3C) embedded in a ferrite matrix. The method combines magnetic force microscopy (MFM) with electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) measurements. Magnetic domain structures in globular and in lamellar cementite precipitates in unalloyed pearlitic steels were imaged using MFM. The domain structure of the precipitates was analyzed in dependency of their size, shape and crystallographic orientation. It was found that the magnetic moments of the cementite precipitates are highly geared to their crystalline axes. The combined MFM and EBSD studies allow the conclusion that the cementite easy direction of magnetization is the long [010] axis. For fine lamellae cementite the determination of their crystallographic orientations using electron diffraction techniques is very difficult. With the previous knowledge of the behavior of the domain structure in globular cementite, the crystalline orientations of the fine lamellae cementite can be estimated by simply observing the magnetic microstructures and the topographic profiles. •We develop a method to determine the easy axes of nanoscopic ferromagnetic precipitates in a matrix.•We combine the magnetic force microscopy and the electron backscatter diffraction techniques.•Globular and lamellar cementite (Fe3C) precipitates are taken as examples.•MFM images revealed different orientations of the magnetic moments in cementite.•The cementite easy direction of magnetization is the long [010] axis.