Symposium on Heusler compounds as hardmagnetic materials
The symposium was organized by a joint initiative of the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids in Dresden, the Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics in Halle, the Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems in Halle, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials in Freiburg. The goal of the symposium was to present and to discuss current concepts and latest advancements of Heusler compounds as hardmagnetic materials with participation of industrial partners.
High-performing hard magnets are essential in all walks of life including medical diagnostics, power generation, electromobility, and consumer products like cars. Currently, permanent magnets made of samarium-cobalt alloys (SmCo5 and Sm2Co17) or (Nd,Dy)2Fe14B are used for these purposes. However, the potential supply risk of these crucially important magnets calls for a concentrated search for alternate hard-magnetic materials without rare-earth elements. The aim of a cooperation between Fraunhofer Gesellschaft and Max Planck Gesellschaft is to tie high-throughput theoretical and experimental techniques to identify novel, rare-earth-free Heusler compounds with an energy product (BH)max higher than that of conventional Ba/Sr ferrites and AlNiCo magnets. The benefit of Heusler is that they fulfill important criteria for new hard magnets, namely tuneability, high magnetic moments, and high coercive fields. Such alternate, rare-earth-free hardmagnetic materials will foster many branches of German industry and consolidate their leading position with regard to high-tech products.