EXAFS determination of Hf localization in HDDR-Nd-Fe-B-Hf alloys

The local structure around Hf in Nd15.78Fe76.3−xHfxB7.8 (x=0.1 and 0.2) submitted to conventional and solid hydrogenation-disproportionation-desorption-recombination (HDDR) sequence was studied by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) in order to understand the relation between the presence of Hf and magnetic anisotropy found only in solid-HDDR samples. EXAFS results show that Hf is not in the Nd2Fe14B structure but incorporated into a local atomic arrangement (HfB ClNa-type) which is the same for as-cast, solid and conventional HDDR samples. It is concluded that the magnetic anisotropy induced by Hf addition to NdFeB alloys must be related to microstructural features.