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.