High remanence iron-manganese alloys for magnetically actuated devices

Abstract

Magnetically actuated devices such as, e.g., switches and synchronizers typically comprise a magnetically semihard component having a square B-H hysteresis loop and high remanent induction. Among alloys having such properties are Co-Fe-V, Co-Fe-Nb, and Co-Fe-Ni-Al-Ti alloys which, however, contain undesirably large amounts of cobalt. According to the invention, devices are equipped with a magnetically semihard, high-remanence Fe-Mn alloy which contains Mn in a preferred amount in the range of 3-25 weight percent whose remanence B.sub.r (gauss) typically is greater than or equal to 20,000-500.times. (weight percent Mn), and whose squareness B.sub.r /B.sub.s typically is greater than 0.95. Magnets made from alloys of the invention may be shaped, e.g., by cold drawing, rolling, bending, or flattening and may be used in devices such as, e.g., electrical contact switches, hysteresis motors, and other magnetically actuated devices. Preparation of alloys of the invention may be by a treatment of initial deformation, aging, deformation, and final aging.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.