Disclosed are a continuous heat treatment device and method for a sintered Nd—Fe—B magnet workpiece. The device comprises a first heat treatment chamber, a first cooling chamber, a second heat treatment chamber, and a second cooling chamber continuously disposed in sequence, as well as a transfer system disposed among the chambers to transfer the alloy workpiece or the metal workpiece; both the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber adopt a air cooling system, wherein a cooling air temperature of the first cooling chamber is 25° C. or above and differs from a heat treatment temperature of the first heat treatment chamber by at least 450° C.; a cooling air temperature of the second cooling chamber is 25° C. or above and differs from a heat treatment temperature of the second heat treatment chamber by at least 300° C. The continuous heat treatment device and method can improve the cooling rate and production efficiency and improve the properties and consistency of the products.

Disclosed are a continuous heat treatment device and method for a sintered Nd—Fe—B magnet workpiece. The device comprises a first heat treatment chamber, a first cooling chamber, a second heat treatment chamber, and a second cooling chamber continuously disposed in sequence, as well as a transfer system disposed among the chambers to transfer the alloy workpiece or the metal workpiece; both the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber adopt a air cooling system, wherein a cooling air temperature of the first cooling chamber is 25° C. or above and differs from a heat treatment temperature of the first heat treatment chamber by at least 450° C.; a cooling air temperature of the second cooling chamber is 25° C. or above and differs from a heat treatment temperature of the second heat treatment chamber by at least 300° C. The continuous heat treatment device and method can improve the cooling rate and production efficiency and improve the properties and consistency of the products.

Disclosed are a device and method for continuously performing grain boundary diffusion and heat treatment, characterized in that the alloy workpiece or the metal workpiece are arranged in a relatively independent processing box together with a diffusion source; the device comprises, in successive arrangement, a grain boundary diffusion chamber, a first cooling chamber, a heat treatment chamber, and a second cooling chamber, and a transfer system provided between various chambers for delivering the processing box; each of the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber uses an air cooling system, and the cooling air temperature of the first cooling chamber is above 25° C. and at least differs by 550° C. from the grain boundary diffusion temperature of the grain boundary diffusion chamber; the cooling air temperature of the second cooling chamber is above 25° C. and at least differs by 300° C. from the heat treatment temperature of the heat treatment chamber; and the cooling chamber has a pressure of 50 kPa to 100 kPa. The device provided by the present invention can increase the cooling rate and production efficiency, and improve product consistency.

Disclosed are a device and method for continuously performing grain boundary diffusion and heat treatment, characterized in that the alloy workpiece or the metal workpiece are arranged in a relatively independent processing box together with a diffusion source; the device comprises, in successive arrangement, a grain boundary diffusion chamber, a first cooling chamber, a heat treatment chamber, and a second cooling chamber, and a transfer system provided between various chambers for delivering the processing box; each of the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber uses an air cooling system, and the cooling air temperature of the first cooling chamber is above 25° C. and at least differs by 550° C. from the grain boundary diffusion temperature of the grain boundary diffusion chamber; the cooling air temperature of the second cooling chamber is above 25° C. and at least differs by 300° C. from the heat treatment temperature of the heat treatment chamber; and the cooling chamber has a pressure of 50 kPa to 100 kPa. The device provided by the present invention can increase the cooling rate and production efficiency, and improve product consistency.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of methods, devices, and assemblies for processing feedstock materials using microwave plasma processing. Specifically, the feedstock materials disclosed herein pertains to scrap materials, dehydrogenated or non-hydrogenated feed material, and recycled used powder. Microwave plasma processing can be used to spheroidize and remove contaminants. Advantageously, microwave plasma processed feedstock can be used in various applications such as additive manufacturing or powdered metallurgy (PM) applications that require high powder flowability.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of methods, devices, and assemblies for processing feedstock materials using microwave plasma processing. Specifically, the feedstock materials disclosed herein pertains to scrap materials, dehydrogenated or non-hydrogenated feed material, and recycled used powder. Microwave plasma processing can be used to spheroidize and remove contaminants. Advantageously, microwave plasma processed feedstock can be used in various applications such as additive manufacturing or powdered metallurgy (PM) applications that require high powder flowability.

The invention discloses an anisotropic bonded magnetic powder and a preparation method thereof. The anisotropic bonded magnetic powder has a general formula of R.sub.1R.sub.2TB, wherein R.sub.1 is a rare earth element containing Nd or PrNd, R.sub.2 is one or two of La and Ce, T is a transitional element, and B is boron. The preparation method includes the steps of smelting the master alloy to prepare ingot(s), preparing a rare earth hydride of formula R.sub.1TBH.sub.X, preparing a hydride diffusion source of formula R.sub.1R.sub.2TH.sub.X, mixing, heat treating, and high-vacuum dehydrogenating, to obtain the anisotropic bonded magnetic powder. The invention uses La and Ce hydrides as the diffusion source, can save cost, remove hydrogen from the diffusion source at a lower dehydrogenation temperature, avoid crystal grain growth at a high temperature, and ensure the quality of the product.

The invention discloses an anisotropic bonded magnetic powder and a preparation method thereof. The anisotropic bonded magnetic powder has a general formula of R.sub.1R.sub.2TB, wherein R.sub.1 is a rare earth element containing Nd or PrNd, R.sub.2 is one or two of La and Ce, T is a transitional element, and B is boron. The preparation method includes the steps of smelting the master alloy to prepare ingot(s), preparing a rare earth hydride of formula R.sub.1TBH.sub.X, preparing a hydride diffusion source of formula R.sub.1R.sub.2TH.sub.X, mixing, heat treating, and high-vacuum dehydrogenating, to obtain the anisotropic bonded magnetic powder. The invention uses La and Ce hydrides as the diffusion source, can save cost, remove hydrogen from the diffusion source at a lower dehydrogenation temperature, avoid crystal grain growth at a high temperature, and ensure the quality of the product.

The present disclosure relates generally to a method for improving the performance of sintered NdFeB magnet. A method of preparing a sintered NdFeB magnet therefore comprises the steps of: a) preparing alloy flakes from a raw material of the NdFeB magnet by a strip casting process; and b) preparing a coarse alloy powder from the alloy flakes by a hydrogen decrepitation process, the hydrogen decrepitation process including treatment of the alloy flakes under a hydrogen pressure of 0.10 MPa to 0.25 MPa for a duration of 1 to 3.5 hours, then degassing the hydrogen at a predetermined temperature between 300° C. to 400° C. for a duration time of 0.5 to 5 hours, and then mixing the resulting coarse alloy powder with a lubricant.

The present disclosure relates generally to a method for improving the performance of sintered NdFeB magnet. A method of preparing a sintered NdFeB magnet therefore comprises the steps of: a) preparing alloy flakes from a raw material of the NdFeB magnet by a strip casting process; and b) preparing a coarse alloy powder from the alloy flakes by a hydrogen decrepitation process, the hydrogen decrepitation process including treatment of the alloy flakes under a hydrogen pressure of 0.10 MPa to 0.25 MPa for a duration of 1 to 3.5 hours, then degassing the hydrogen at a predetermined temperature between 300° C. to 400° C. for a duration time of 0.5 to 5 hours, and then mixing the resulting coarse alloy powder with a lubricant.