A study that reduces the use of neodymium (Nd), an expensive rare earth element, by approximately 30% while achieving performance at the level of commercial magnets was selected as one of the top 100 national research and development excellence achievements.

The 'Nd (Neodymium)-reduced high-performance permanent magnet material technology' by Dr. Jeong-gu Lee of the Magnetic Materials Laboratory of the Powder Materials Research Division of the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS, President Jeong-hwan Lee), a government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT, was selected for the '2022 National Research and Development Excellence 100'.

This technology is a rare-earth-reduced permanent magnet material technology that can achieve the same level of performance as commercial magnets (42M grade) while reducing the use of expensive rare-earth metal neodymium (Nd) by approximately 30%.

Neodymium (Nd) is expensive and its supply is very unstable, but it is essential for implementing the performance of rare earth permanent magnets.

To develop this, the content of neodymium (Nd) must be reduced and the content of inexpensive cerium (Ce) must be increased.

On the other hand, until now it has not been possible to prevent the magnetic properties of magnets from deteriorating as the cerium (Ce) content increases. Using this technology, it is possible to solve this problem through atomic-scale microstructural control.

The research team discovered that unnecessary non-magnetic particles of cerium (Ce) were formed in the rare earth reduced permanent magnets manufactured through the existing process. They also revealed that these particles were causing the deterioration of the magnet's microstructure and magnetic properties.

Accordingly, instead of the existing process, the melt-spinning method and hot-deformation method, which enable processes with very fast cooling speeds, were applied to the production of rare earth reduced precursors and final permanent magnets, respectively.

As a result, we were able to successfully optimize the microstructure of the magnet by suppressing the formation of unnecessary magnetic particles within the magnet.

Lee Jeong-gu, a senior researcher at Materials Research Institute, said, “We would like to place significance on the fact that we have been recognized for our research results that simultaneously solved resource problems and material/component/equipment issues in the domestic rare earth permanent magnet material field,” and added, “We will continue to do our best to lead the development of the domestic rare earth permanent magnet industry.”

The 100 Best National Research and Development Projects is a system in which the government selects excellent national research and development projects to enhance the public's understanding and interest in the role of science and technology in driving national development and to encourage pride among scientists and engineers. It has been selecting and announcing these projects every year since 2006.