More efficient power conversion devices are able to transmit greater electrical power across larger distances to satisfy growing global electrical needs. A critical requirement to achieve more efficient power conversion are the soft magnetic materials used as core materials in transformers, inductors, and motors. To that effect it is well known that the use of non-equilibrium microstructures, which are, for example, nanocrystalline or consist of single phase solid solutions, can yield high saturation magnetic polarization and high electrical resistivity necessary for more efficient soft magnetic materials. In this work, we synthesized CoFe – P soft magnetic alloys containing nanocrystalline, single phase solid solution microstructures and studied the effect of a secondary intermetallic phase on the saturation magnetic polarization and electrical resistivity of the consolidated alloy. Single phase solid solution CoFe – P alloys were prepared through mechanically alloying metal powders and phase decomposition was observed after subsequent consolidation via spark plasma sintering (SPS) at various temperatures. The secondary intermetallic phase was identified as the orthorhombic (Co_xFe_1−x)₂P phase and the magnetic properties of the (Co_xFe_1−x)₂P intermetallic phase were found to be detrimental to the soft magnetic properties of the targeted CoFe – P alloy.

更高效的电力转换设备能够在更远的距离上传输更大的电力，以满足不断增长的全球电力需求。实现更高效的功率转换的一个关键要求是用作变压器、电感器和电机的磁芯材料的软磁材料。为此，众所周知，使用非平衡微结构（例如纳米晶体或由单相固溶体组成）可以产生更有效的软磁材料所必需的高饱和磁极化和高电阻率。在这项工作中，我们合成了含有纳米晶的 CoFe-P 软磁合金，单相固溶体显微组织，并研究了第二金属间相对固结合金饱和磁极化和电阻率的影响。通过对金属粉末进行机械合金化制备单相固溶体 CoFe-P 合金，随后在不同温度下通过放电等离子烧结 (SPS) 固结后观察到相分解。第二金属间化合物相被确定为斜方晶系（Co_x Fe _1-x ) ₂ P 相和(Co _x Fe _1-x ) ₂ P 金属间化合物相的磁性对目标CoFe-P合金的软磁性有害。