Influences of rare earth element Ce-doping and melt-spinning on microstructure and magnetostriction of Fe83Ga17 alloy

In order to improve magnetostriction of the polycrystalline Fe-Ga alloy, the rare earth element Ce was firstly doped into Fe83Ga17 and the melt-spinning method was subsequently applied. The as-cast Fe83Ga17 and Ce-doped Fe83Ga17 alloys were prepared by arc melting. Then the as-cast Ce-doped Fe83Ga17 alloy was melt-spun by the melt-spinning technique. The microstructures and magnetostrictions of all these three alloys were investigated by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and magnetostriction measurements. The results indicated that the CeGa2 phase and asymmetrical DO3 phase are formed caused by Ce-doping and melt-spinning, respectively. The magnetostrictions of three alloys are ranked in sequence the melt-spun Fe83Ga17Ce0.8 alloy > as-cast Fe83Ga17Ce0.8 alloy > as-cast Fe83Ga17 alloy. The enhanced magnetostriction is attributed to the fact that the formation of new phases and the preferred orientation along (100) direction. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.