Magnetic and structural properties of heat-treated high-moment mechanically alloyed MnAlC powders

Abstract Annealing conditions, including annealing atmosphere and gas flow rate, upon the magnetic and structural properties of mechanically alloyed (MA) Mn 0.53 Al 0.47− x C x ( x  = 0–0.015) alloy powders were systematically investigated. The gas flow rate produced the most significant effect on the stabilization of the magnetic τ phase resulting in magnetization M ( H =10kOe)  = 72 emu/g, remanent magnetization M r  = 37 emu/g and coercivity H c  = 1.9 kOe in optimized heat-treated MA Mn 0.53 Al 0.46 C 0.01 powders. Importantly, under the application of a 50 kOe magnetic field, M ( H =50kOe) increased to 97 emu/g which is the highest value measured to date for this system.