Optimizing Annealing Temperature Control for Enhanced Magnetic Properties in Fe-Si-B Amorphous Flake Powder Cores

Abstract

In this study, we examined the optimal pre- and post-annealing conditions for soft magnetic composites (SMCs) using amorphous flake powders produced through ball milling of amorphous Fe-Si-B ribbons, leading to enhanced magnetic properties. The SMCs, which utilized flake powders created via melt spinning, displayed outstanding DC bias characteristics, as well as increased permeability, primarily due to high saturation magnetization and the flaky morphology of the powders. Pre-annealing was performed not only to remove residual stress formed during the melt spinning process but also to improve pulverizing efficiency, which ultimately affected the particle size of the flake powders. Core annealing was performed to reduce core losses and improve permeability by relieving the residual stress generated during the pressing process. As a result, pre-annealing and core annealing temperatures were identified as crucial factors influencing the magnetic properties of the SMCs. We meticulously analyzed the particle size, the morphology of the flake powder, and the magnetic properties of the SMCs in relation to the annealing temperatures. In conclusion, we demonstrated that flake powder SMCs achieved superior soft magnetic properties, including significantly reduced core loss and heightened permeability, through optimal pre- and core-annealing at 370 °C and 425 °C, respectively. © 2023 by the authors.