Mechanical properties of Fe-Co soft magnets

The tensile behavior of two magnetically soft alloys, Fe-49Co-2V and Fe-27Co, has been characterized as a function of testing temperature, grain size, and degree of long-range order. Several trends in the yield strength of the two alloys have been noted and possible mechanisms for their occurrence discussed. Ordering is found to markedly lower the yield strength of the Fe-49Co-2V. Both alloys exhibit three distinct regions in their yield strength vs. temperature curves. At lower and higher temperatures, i.e. regions I and III, the yield strength shows the normal drop with increasing temperature. In the intermediate temperature range (region II), however, Fe-49Co-2V with a B2 ordered structure demonstrates an anomalous strengthening with increasing temperature while the yield strength remains constant in the disordered Fe-27Co. Both alloys exhibit a Hall-Petch type relationship in their yield strength as a function of grain size and show a decrease in the strain hardening coefficient with increasing grain size. (C) 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers.