Intrinsic permanent magnetic characteristics beyond Ce2Co17 with Ce/Co substitutions

TL;DR

This study investigates how site-specific substitutions in Ce2Co17 influence magnetic anisotropy, identifying Zr and Sm substitutions as promising strategies to enhance permanent magnet properties.

Contribution

It demonstrates that targeted doping at specific lattice sites can significantly improve magnetic anisotropy in Ce2Co17-based compounds.

Findings

Zr substitution at Co-dumbbell site enhances uniaxial anisotropy.

Sm substitution at Ce-2c sites increases MAE.

La substitution decreases MAE.

Abstract

By understanding the small easy axis magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy (MAE) of hexagonal Ce2Co17, an attempt has been made to improve anisotropy and consequently to obtain better characteristics for a high energy permanent magnet via site selective substitutional doping of Ce/Co with suitable elements. The present calculations of the electronic and magnetic properties of Ce2Co17 and related substituted compounds have been performed using the full potential linear augmented plane wave (FPLAPW) method within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). Sm-substituted compounds were simulated using Coulomb corrected GGA (GGA+U) to provide a better representation of energy bands due to the strongly correlated Sm-f electrons. The formation energies for all substituted compounds are found to be negative which indicate their structural stability. Of the substitutions, Zr substitution at the Co-dumbbell site enhances uniaxial anisotropy of Ce2Co17. Furthermore, Sm-substitution at Ce-2c sites favors incremental MAE whereas a La-substitution at both 2b- and 2c-sites depletes the tiny MAE in Ce2Co17. These observed trends in the MAE have been examined in terms of contributions from various electronic states. Finally, Ce2Zr2Co15 and SmCeCo17 are foreseen as suitable materials for designing permanent magnets derived from the crystal lattice structure of hexagonal Ce2Co17.