Processing YCo₅ Permanent Magnetic Submicron Flakes by Surfactant-Assisted High-Energy Ball Milling

YCo₅ alloy is processed by surfactant−assisted high-energy ball milling. Oleic acid is used as the surfactant and is 20% of the starting powder. The resultant particles are flakes of several microns in length and width, and 20–200 nm in thickness. The flakes have significant crystallographic anisotropy and the c-axis (also easy magnetization axes) is perpendicular to the flake's surface. Maximum coercivity of 192 kA/m is obtained in the sample milled for 100 min. Excess milling results in the appearance of Fe and deteriorates the permanent magnetic properties seriously.