Spark Plasma Texturing in the Direct Recycling of Hot-Deformed Nd-Fe-B Scrap

The particular microstructure of hot-deformed Nd-Fe-B magnets leads to difficulties in finding a direct recycling route. In this work, a combination of field assisted sintering technology/spark plasma sintering (FAST/SPS) and spark plasma texturing (SPT) are used as pre-compaction and deformation techniques, respectively, for the consolidation of crushed, hot-deformed Nd-Fe-B scrap. Field assisted sintering has the unique advantage of maintaining fine microstructures during material densification, making it an ideal candidate for direct recycling of this material. Recycled magnets, made from 100 wt% crushed magnet scrap, were able to achieve energy products of over 200 kJ m-3 after FAST/SPS pre-compaction and SPT deformation. These recycled magnets could then be smoothed and cut to the size of industrial bar magnets for testing in the motor of a water pump. When tested, the recycled magnets could achieve 95% of the electromotive force compared to industrial standard magnets.