Crystallographic alignment evolution and magnetic properties of anisotropic Sm0.6Pr0.4Co5 nanoflakes prepared by surfactant-assisted ball milling

The microstructure, crystal structure and magnetic properties were studied for Sm0.6Pr0.4Co5 nanoflakes prepared by surfactant-assisted high-energy ball milling (SAHEBM). Effect of ball-milling time on the c-axis crystallographic alignment, morphology and magnetic properties of Sm0.6Pr0.4Co5 nanoflakes was systematically investigated. With increasing milling time from 1 h to 7 h, the intensity ratio between (002) and (111) reflection peaks indicating degree of c-axis crystal texture of the (Sm, Pr)Co5 phase increases first, peaks at 3 h, then drops again, revealing that the strongest c-axis crystal texture was obtained in the nanoflakes milled for 3 h. On the other hand, the coercivity (Hci) of the flakes increases gradually from 1.71 to 14.65 kOe with the increase of ball milling time. As a result, an optimal magnetic properties of Mr of 10.23 kGs, Hci of 11.45 kOe and (BH)max of 24.40 MGOe was obtained in Sm0.6Pr0.4Co5 nanoflakes milled for 3 h, which also displayed a high aspect ratio, small in-plane size, pronounced (001) out-of-plane texture.