Laser additive processing of Fe-Si-B-Cu-Nb magnetic alloys

The magnetic alloy of nominal composition, Fe73.5Si13.5B9Nb3Cu1, has been successfully processed using the laser engineered net shaping (LENS™) process, from a feedstock of elemental powders. The microstructure consists of dendritic α-Fe3Si grains, with B and Nb partitioning to the inter-dendritic regions, resulting in the formation of Fe3B grains. Additionally, Fe23B6 grains are visible at the α-Fe3Si/Fe3B interface. The scale of this microstructure can be varied via the laser deposition parameters and this, in turn, influences coercivity (Hc) and saturation magnetization (Ms) of these laser-deposited magnetic alloys. This work shows the feasibility of creating novel geometries of magnetic materials by the laser engineered net shaping process.