Abstract
Phase relationships of the HDDR (hydrogenation, disproportionation, desorption and recombination)-treated Sm$_3$(Fe,M)$_{29}$-type alloy with chemical composition of Sm$_{9}$Fe$_{65}$ $Co_{20}$V$_{6}$ were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and by thermomagnetic analysis (TMA). The alloy was disproportionated into a mixture of $SmH_{x}$ and $\alpha$-Fe at high temperature under hydrogen gas. The disproportionated material was recombined into a mixture of Sm-(Fe,M) (M = Co and/or V) and $\alpha$-Fe phases. The structure of the Sm-(Fe,M) phase was dependent upon the recombination conditions, and a detailed phase diagram showing the phase relationships in the HDDR-treated alloy has been established. The Sm-(Fe,M) phase in material recombined above $900^{\circ}C$ had the $Sm_2Fe_{17}$-type structure, and it exhibited the $SmFe_{7}$-type structure when recombined at temperatures ranging from $700^{\circ}C$ to $850^{\circ}C$. Recombination below $650^{\circ}C$ led to the $SmFe_3$-type structure of the Sm-(Fe,M) phase. Curie temperatures of the Sm-(Fe,M) phases in the recombined material were significantly higher than those of the corresponding stoichiometric phases. It was suggested that the chemical composition of the Sm-(Fe,M) phases may be significantly different from that of the corresponding stoichiometric phases. All the HDDR-treated $Sm_{9}Fe_{65}Co_{20}V_{6}$ materials showed the soft magnetic features regardless of the phase constitution.n.
