Controlling melt convection—an innovation potential for concerted microstructure evolution of Nd-Fe-B alloys

The solidification process and the resulting microstructure of Nd-Fe-B alloys in consideration of melt convection has been investigated experimentally with a specially designed forced crucible rotation technique. Samples were subjected to well-defined forced rotation and vibration, respectively, during induction heating and solidification. A concerted microstructure evolution is possible by enhancement or suppression of the melt convection. As a result, the microstructure pattern, mainly the volume fraction of the soft magnetic a-Fe phase, vary strongly with the strength of the internal flow motion. A distinct reduction of the a-Fe volume fraction in samples with strong melt rotation was ob…