Novel magnetic architectures for next generation electric vehicles

该项目将开发基于Nd-Fe-B材料的高性能汽车永磁材料。这项研究将由另一个博士生项目进行的计算机建模指导。这将包括使用涂层，分级材料和研究新的微观结构和颗粒设计。薄膜将采用一种新的多技术沉积系统来沉积，以开发新的材料和微结构。新型粉末将使用该部门罗伊斯转化中心（Royce Translational Centre）的新粉末加工设备（包括气体雾化、粉末研磨和等离子体球化）制造，并使用火花等离子烧结（SPS）和对准粉末颗粒的真空烧结制造大块样品。我们将使用新的SQUID/VSM磁力计（HRI资助；7T磁场）来测量温度相关的磁性。晶体结构，微观结构和元素分布将使用电子显微镜技术（SEM， EDX， EBSD），辉光放电光学发射光谱，x射线衍射和x射线断层扫描进行表征；后者将包括中央设施波束时间应用程序，以同时表征颗粒位置和方向。将指导该项目的建模将使用具有先进微结构生成的有限元和有限差分微磁封装来模拟磁性能。它将探讨晶粒尺寸、形状和边界、成分变化、二次相、扩散效应和孔隙率的影响。最后，它将使用微磁模拟结果为大规模有限元模拟提供信息，以进行体属性预测。通过实验程序建立的材料特性将反馈到模型中。该项目得到了大众的支持，将在大众位于德国沃尔夫斯堡的研究中心进行为期三个月的实习。

The project will develop high performance permanent magnet materials based on Nd-Fe-B materials for automotive applications. This research will be guided by computer modelling being performed by another PhD student project. This will include the use of coatings, graded materials and investigation of novel microstructures and grain designs.Thin films will be deposited using a new multi-technique deposition system to develop new materials and microstructures. Novel powders will be fabricated using new powder processing facilities at the Department's Royce Translational Centre (including gas atomisation, powder milling and plasma spheroidisation) and create bulk specimens using spark plasma sintering (SPS) and vacuum sintering with aligned powder grains.We will use a new SQUID/VSM magnetometer (HRI funded; 7T magnetic field) to measure temperature-dependent magnetic properties. Crystal structure, microstructure and element distributions will be characterised using electron microscopy techniques (SEM, EDX, EBSD), glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray tomography; the latter will include central facilities beamtime applications to simultaneously characterise grain positions and orientations.The modelling that will guide this project will use finite element and finite difference micromagnetic packages with advanced microstructural generation to simulate magnetic properties. It will explore the effects of grain size, shape and boundaries, and compositional variation, secondary phases, diffusion effects and porosity. Finally, it will use micromagnetic simulation outcomes to inform large-scale FEM simulations for bulk property predictions. Materials properties established through the experimental programme will be fed back into the models.The project is supported by VW and will involve a three-month placement at their Research Centre in Wolfsburg, Germany.