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All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2026

Aluminum bonded SmCo5 magnets with enhanced mechanical strength

Despite their versatility and easy manufacturability, polymer-bonded magnets find limited application due to their limited mechanical properties and temperature resistance. In this study, we developed mechanically robust, aluminum-bonded SmCo5 magnets by utilizing a low-temperature, shear-assisted friction consolidation technique. Bonded magnets with varying magnetic phase content were fabricated at processing temperature of 500°C, and their microstructures, magnetic, mechanical, and electrical properties were systematically investigated. The resulting bonded-magnets showed effective consolidation with nanocrystalline microstructures. Magnetic properties were found to be tunable through variations in binder phase content, with coercivity reaching values up to 15.3 kOe (1217.5 kA/m) and maximum magnetic energy product up to 3.6 MGOe (28.7 kJ/m3), which are comparable to other bonded magnets. Electrical resistivities were lower than the polymer-bonded magnets, but comparable to the sintered ones. We observed an average flexural strength of 223 MPa for 60 vol.% SmCo5/Al sample, which is nearly two times higher than the reported values for sintered and bonded Sm-Co magnets. Our research demonstrated an effective approach to fabricate metal-bonded permanent magnets with superior magnetic and mechanical properties potentially applicable for high temperature applications.

Poudel Chhetri, Tej Bahadur↗

DOE OSTI2023

A Flexible Field Mapping System for Accelerator Magnets

Magnetic field mapping is a fundamental magnetic measurement method that typically uses Hall and NMR sensors. In magnet measurement facilities, such systems are likely used in various configurations suitable for a specific task at hand. To address this diversity, the authors developed a flexible field mapping system capable of being configured and tailored to each particular measurement case. Further, the system needs to address the variability introduced by differences in sensors and their readout systems, probe positioning systems, power supply systems, and required mapping geometry (mapping space and grid, measurement steps and sequences). Although the discussed field mapping systems range from a self-propelled multi-sensor mapper of a large detector magnet to a single 3D Hall sensor system to scan a small permanent magnet, they were all built with the same core mapping system. The variability present in field mapping systems, the measurement system architecture addressing this variability, as well as examples of several field mapping systems built in this architecture are presented.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2023

A Flexible Field Mapping System for Accelerator Magnets

Magnetic field mapping is a fundamental magnetic measurement method that typically uses Hall and NMR sensors. In magnet measurement facilities, such systems are likely used in various configurations suitable for a specific task at hand. To address this diversity, the authors developed a flexible field mapping system capable of being configured and tailored to each particular measurement case. The system needs to address the variability introduced by differences in sensors and their readout systems, probe positioning systems, power supply systems and in required mapping geometry (mapping space and grid, measurement steps and sequences). Although the discussed field mapping systems range from a self-propelled, multi-sensor mapper of a large detector magnet to a single 3D Hall sensor system to scan a small permanent magnet, they were all built with the same core mapping system. The variability present in field mapping systems and the measurement system architecture addressing this variability, as well as examples of several field mapping systems built in this architecture are presented.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

NASA NTRS1995

Hybrid superconductor magnet bearings

Hybrid superconductor magnet bearings (HSMB's) utilize high temperature superconductors (HTS's) together with permanent magnets to form a frictionless interface between relatively rotating parts. They are low mass, stable, and do not incur expenditure of energy during normal operation. There is no direct physical contact between rotor and stator, and hence there is no wear and tear. However, just as any other applications of HTS's, it requires a very cold temperature to function. Whereas this might be perceived as a disadvantage on earth, it is of no great concern in space or on the moon. To astronomers, the moon is an excellent site for an observatory, but the cold and dusty vacuum environment on the moon precludes the use of mechanical bearings on the telescope mounts. Furthermore, drive mechanisms with very fine steps, and hence bearings with extremely low friction are needed to track a star from the moon, because the moon rotates very slowly. All aspects considered, the HSMB is about the only candidate that fits in naturally. Here, we present a design for one such bearing, capable of supporting a telescope that weighs about 3 lbs on Earth.

Chu, Wei-Kan↗

NASA NTRS2000

A 3-D Magnetic Analysis of a Linear Alternator For a Stirling Power System

The NASA Glenn Research Center and the Department of Energy (DOE) are developing advanced radioisotope Stirling convertors, under contract with Stirling Technology Company (STC), for space applications. Of critical importance to the successful development of the Stirling convertor for space power applications is the development of a lightweight and highly efficient linear alternator. This paper presents a 3-D finite element method (FEM) approach for evaluating Stirling convertor linear alternators. Preliminary correlations with open-circuit voltage measurements provide an encouraging level of confidence in the model. Spatial plots of magnetic field strength (H) are presented in the region of the exciting permanent magnets. These plots identify regions of high H, where at elevated temperature and under electrical load, the potential to alter the magnetic moment of the magnets exists. This implies the need for further testing and analysis.

Geng, Steven M.↗

DOE OSTI2026

High-gradient magnetic filtration of UO 2 colloids from aqueous suspensions

Environmental samples often contain innocuous components that make trace actinide analysis difficult and expensive. Therefore, it is expedient to separate these materials from actinide particles. One characteristic of many actinides is that they are paramagnetic. High-gradient magnetic filtration (HGMF) is a non-destructive technique that selectively captures magnetic constituents from a matrix containing non-magnetic species. Here, in this work, a novel HGMF device made of a permanent magnet array was used to effectively separate UO 2 particles from undesirable soil species. Up to 88% of the UO 2 particles present in suspensions were effectively captured by HGMF, resulting in their enrichment and a substantial reduction in the concentrations of other constituents.

Actinide separations↗

DOE OSTI2023

Internal defect detection and characterization of samarium-cobalt sintered magnets by ultrasonic testing technique

Excessive quantities of samarium-cobalt (Sm-Co) magnet material are being scrapped needlessly due to a lack of understanding of inhomogeneity distribution and unacceptable internal defects. If there is a way to identify, locate, characterize and when needed separate the defective portions of magnet material, utilization can be increased and product quality improved. Further, the magnets’ magnetic and mechanical performance can be improved by reducing the occurrence of internal defects. This paper reports on a cost-effective and efficient nondestructive evaluation method based on an ultrasonic testing (UT) technique applied for detecting and characterizing internal defects in Sm-Co sintered magnets. Applying the UT technique will allow users to comprehensively analyze internal defects, such as inclusions, porosity, microcracks, and other structural irregularities, check for homogeneity and anomalous regions and give the locations of these internal anomalies and defects within the Sm-Co sintered magnets. The UT technique can also be applied to other rare-earth permanent magnets, such as sintered or die-upset neodymium-iron-boron (Nd-Fe-B) magnets. The UT technique can effectively guide quality control and acceptable product selection, in addition to optimizing the magnet alloy design and production processes. Therefore, it can facilitate the improvement of magnet manufacturing efficiency and machinability, reduce scrap, prolong service life, increase the use of what would be post-production waste, and enhance product reuse and recycling at end-of-life disposition.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Controlling magnetic configuration in soft–hard bilayers probed by polarized neutron reflectometry

Hard/soft magnetic bilayer thin films have been widely used in data storage technologies and permanent magnet applications. The magnetic configuration and response to temperatures and magnetic fields in these heterostructures are considered to be highly dependent on the interfacial coupling. However, the intrinsic properties of each of the layers, such as the saturation magnetization and layer thickness, also strongly influence the magnetic configuration. Changing these parameters provides an effective method to tailor magnetic properties in composite magnets. Here, we use polarized neutron reflectometry (PNR) to experimentally probe the interfacial magnetic configurations in the hard/soft bilayer thin films: L1 0 -FePt/A1-FePt, [Co/Pd]/CoPd, [Co/Pt]/FeNi, and L1 0 -FePt/Fe, all of which have a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in the hard layer. These films were designed with different soft and hard layer thicknesses (t soft and t hard ) and saturation magnetization (M$_s^{soft}$ and M$_s^{hard}$). The influences of an in-plane magnetic field (H ip ) and temperature (T) are also studied using a L1 0 -FePt/A1-FePt bilayer sample. Comparing the PNR results to the micromagnetic simulations reveals that the interfacial magnetic configuration is highly dependent on t soft , M$_s^{soft}, and the external factors (H ip and T) and has a relatively weak dependence on t hard and M$_s^{hard}$. Key among these results, for thin t soft , the hard and soft layers are rigidly coupled in the out-of-plane direction and then undergo a transition to relax in-plane. This transition can be delayed to larger t soft by decreasing M$_s^{soft}$. Understanding the influence of these parameters on the magnetic configuration is critical to designing functional composite magnets for applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS1979

Magnetic suspension system for a laboratory model annular momentum control device

Feasibility of the annular momentum control device (AMCD) for the control and stabilization of spacecraft is presented. The AMCD is momentum storage equipment consisting of a thin rim, magnetically suspended and rotated by noncontacting electromagnetic actuators. The laboratory model AMCD, the rim, and the magnetic suspension system are described, along with their evaluation tests. Because it utilizes permanent magnet flux biased magnetic bearing elements, the original laboratory model magnetic suspension system produced control limitations, and a new suspension system which used zero flux bias was designed and fabricated. Tests of the improved system show that a medium control loop bandwidth is required to achieve stability at low rim velocities, but at higher rim speed the bandwidth of the control loop interacts with bending modes of the rim and causes instability. Decreasing the bandwidth by changing to a precession control mode is discussed, and the results of such a computer simulation are presented.

Groom, N. J.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Suggestion for extended Viking magnetic properties experiment on future Mars missions

A remarkable result from the Viking missions was the discovery that the Martian soil is highly magnetic, in the sense that the soil is attracted by a small magnet. The soil was found to adhere almost equally well to a strong and a weak SmCo magnet in the Viking lander backhoe at both landing sites. An array of permanent magnets, with the purpose of establishing if the magnetic particles on Mars are present as discrete or as composite particles, has been constructed.

Madsen, M. B.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Magnetic Circuit Model of PM Motor-Generator to Predict Radial Forces

A magnetic circuit model is developed for a PM motor for flywheel applications. A sample motor is designed and modeled. Motor configuration and selection of materials is discussed, and the choice of winding configuration is described. A magnetic circuit model is described, which includes the stator back iron, rotor yoke, permanent magnets, air gaps and the stator teeth. Iterative solution of this model yields flux linkages, back EMF, torque, power, and radial force at the rotor caused by eccentricity. Calculated radial forces are then used to determine motor negative stiffness.

McLallin, Kerry↗

DOE OSTI2024

A compact and portable gamma-ray spectrometer (GRASP) for inertial confinement fusion and basic science experiments

A compact and portable gamma-ray spectrometer has been designed to diagnose different components of the inertial confinement fusion-relevant γ-ray spectrum with energies between ∼3.7–17.9 MeV. The system is designed to be as compact as possible for convenient transportation and fielding in diagnostic ports on the OMEGA laser, the National Ignition Facility, and other photon-source facilities. The system consists of a conversion foil for Compton scattering in front of four magnetic spectrometer “arms,” each covering a different energy range and constructed out of cylindrical permanent magnet Halbach arrays. Monte Carlo simulations have been used to optimize and assess the performance of the conversion foil, and COSY INFINITY ion-optical simulations have been used to optimize the spectrometer magnets. The performance of the design is assessed for a simulated direct-drive γ-ray spectrum. Spanning its total γ-ray energy bandwidth and using a 1.7 mm thick boron conversion foil, the system’s total energy resolution and efficiency are ∼15.8%–4.5% and 5.4 × 10−7–3.7 × 10−7e−/γ, respectively, with room for improvement. Spectral γ-ray measurements will provide guidance to the inertial confinement fusion program toward achieving high-energy gain relevant to inertial fusion energy and enable new measurement capabilities for basic discovery science.

Instruments & Instrumentation↗

DOE OSTI2022

Accelerating the discovery of novel magnetic materials using machine learning–guided adaptive feedback

Magnetic materials are essential for energy generation and information devices, and they play an important role in advanced technologies and green energy economies. Currently, the most widely used magnets contain rare earth (RE) elements. An outstanding challenge of notable scientific interest is the discovery and synthesis of novel magnetic materials without RE elements that meet the performance and cost goals for advanced electromagnetic devices. Here, we report our discovery and synthesis of an RE-free magnetic compound, Fe 3 CoB 2 , through an efficient feedback framework by integrating machine learning (ML), an adaptive genetic algorithm, first-principles calculations, and experimental synthesis. Magnetic measurements show that Fe 3 CoB 2 exhibits a high magnetic anisotropy ( K 1 = 1.2 MJ/m 3 ) and saturation magnetic polarization ( J s = 1.39 T), which is suitable for RE-free permanent-magnet applications. Our ML-guided approach presents a promising paradigm for efficient materials design and discovery and can also be applied to the search for other functional materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2020

Effect of Mg Content in Melt-Spun Mn–Bi–Mg–Sb–In Alloys on the Structure and Properties of Field-Annealed Magnets

Mn-Bi alloys modified with Mg and other elements were recently developed into promising rare-earth-free permanent magnets through successive melt-spinning, warm compaction, and short magnetic-field annealing. This letter reports herein on the crystal structures, texture, and magnetic properties observed in Mn 50 Bi 49-x Mg x Sb 0.5 In 0.5 alloys (x = 0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5) throughout these processing steps. The Mg substitution favors MnBi-based intermetallic phases over the Bi- and Mn-based solid solutions and the stable α intermetallic phase over the metastable β' intermetallic phase. Magnesium increases the c/a ratio of the α phase lattice parameters for all studied x values and it increases the degree of the field-annealing-induced texture for x ≤ 3. The effect of Mg on coercivity is explained as combination of a positive one via the α phase magnetocrystalline anisotropy and a negative one via the development of texture. The effect of the substitution on the maximum energy product additionally involves the decreasing density of the alloys; the optimum x is found to be ≈3. Additionally reported are the thermal properties of selected alloys. The mechanism of field-annealing effect on the coercivity is briefly discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Electric Drive Technologies Research: Bottom-Up Soft Magnetic Composites (FY2022 Annual Progress Report)

In order to meet 2025 goals for enhanced peak power (100 kW), specific power (50 kW/L), and reduced cost (3.3 $\$$/kW) in a motor that can operate at ≥ 20,000 rpm, improved soft magnetic materials must be developed. Better performing soft magnetic materials will also enable rare earth free electric motors. In fact, replacement of permanent magnets with soft magnetic materials was highlighted in the Electrical and Electronics Technical Team (EETT) Roadmap as a R&D pathway for meeting 2025 targets. Eddy current losses in conventional soft magnetic materials, such as silicon steel, begin to significantly impact motor efficiency as rotational speed increases. Soft magnetic composites (SMCs), which combine magnetic particles with an insulating matrix to boost electrical resistivity (ρ) and decrease eddy current losses, even at higher operating frequencies (or rotational speeds), are an attractive solution. Today, SMCs are being fabricated with values of ρ ranging between 10 -3 to 10 -1 μohm∙m, which is significantly higher than 3% silicon steel (~0.05 μohm∙m). The isotropic nature of SMCs is ideally suited for motors with 3D flux paths, such as axial flux motors. Additionally, the manufacturing cost of SMCs is low and they are highly amenable to advanced manufacturing and net-shaping into complex geometries, which further reduces manufacturing costs. There is still significant room for advancement in SMCs, and therefore additional improvements in electrical machine performance. For example, despite the inclusion of a non-magnetic insulating material, the electrical resistivities of SMCs are still far below that of soft ferrites (10 – 10 8 μohm∙m).

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

NASA NTRS1985

High speed reaction wheels for satellite attitude control and energy storage

The combination of spacecraft attitude control and energy storage (ACES) functions in common hardware, to synergistically maintain three-axis attitude control while supplying electrical power during earth orbital eclipses, allows the generation of control torques by high rotating speed wheels that react against the spacecraft structure via a high efficiency bidirectional energy conversion motor/generator. An ACES system encompasses a minimum of four wheels, controlling power and the three torque vectors. Attention is given to the realization of such a system with composite flywheel rotors that yield high energy density, magnetic suspension technology yielding low losses at high rotational speeds, and an ironless armature permanent magnet motor/generator yielding high energy conversion efficiency.

Studer, P.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Magnetic suspension and balance system advanced study, phase 2

The design improvements for the system encompass 14 or 18 external superconductive coils mounted on a 8 x 8 foot wind tunnel, a superconductive model core magnet on a holmium mandrel to fit an F-16 model, model wings of permanent magnet material Nd2Fe14B, and fiber glass epoxy structure. The Magnetic Suspension and Balance System (MSBS) advanced design is confirmed by the successful construction and test of a full size superconductive model core solenoid with holmium mandrel. The solenoid is 75 cm long and 12.6 cm in diameter and produces 6.1 tesla for a hold time of 47 minutes. An integrated coil system design of a new compact configuration without specific coils for roll or pitch shows promise of simplicity; magnet reductions of 30 percent compared to the most recent 1985 design are possible.

Boom, R. W.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Large gap magnetic suspension system

The design of a large gap magnetic suspension system is discussed. Some of the topics covered include: the system configuration, permanent magnet material, levitation magnet system, superconducting magnets, resistive magnets, superconducting levitation coils, resistive levitation coils, levitation magnet system, and the nitrogen cooled magnet system.

Abdelsalam, Moustafa K.↗