The microstructure and magnetic behaviors of Pr-Fe-B/Fe7Co3 dual phase nanowires: As a perpendicular magnetic recording candidate

Cylindrical magnetic nanowires, possessing high aspect ratio and outstanding perpendicular shape anisotropy, have been an excellent candidate for next generation perpendicular magnetic recording. Due to the scarcity of heavy rare earth elements (HREs), it is of great scientific significance and potential application value to add trace HREs to improve the magnetism of nanowires and prepare new magnetic materials with special applications. Here, under the condition of saving the use of rare earth resources, a novel type of hard/soft Pr-Fe-B/Fe7Co3 magnetic nanowires was fabricated via electrodeposition method, which is not inferior to that of large amount of HREs doping. Present study reports the phase composition, phase transformation, microstructure and magnetic properties in highly-ordered arrays of Pr-Fe-B/Fe7Co3 nanowires embedded in anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template. The results show that after 903 K-annealing process, Pr2Co17 and FeB phases preferentially nucleate, followed by Fe7Co3 + Pr2Fe14B + Pr2Co14B + PrB4 phases, and finally Pr2Fe17 phase nucleate. It is found that the annealed Pr-Fe-B/Fe7Co3 nanowires have excellent magnetic properties, and the improvement of its magnetic properties is attributed to location pinning, special coherent interface and exchange coupling.

Automated summary

In this study, a novel type of hard/soft Pr-Fe-B/Fe7Co3 magnetic nanowires was successfully fabricated via electrodeposition method, which does not require extensive doping of rare earth elements to exhibit excellent magnetic properties. The annealed Pr-Fe-B/Fe7Co3 nanowires showed superior magnetic properties, attributed to the location pinning, special coherent interface, and exchange coupling mechanisms.