Precipitation Behavior and Magnetic Properties of Nanoscale Particles in a Cu–10 at% Ni–5 at% Co Alloy

Abstract

We investigated the relationship between the microstructure and magnetic properties of a Cu–10 at% Ni–5 at% Co alloy by using a transmission electron microscope (TEM), a SQUID magnetometer and a magnetic thermo–balance. TEM observations were performed to examine the microstructures of the Cu–Ni–Co specimens annealed at four temperatures between 873 K and 1073 K below and above the Curie point (983 K).Particles with cubic shapes were linearly arranged along the <100> direction of the copper matrix in specimens prepared by isothermal annealing at temperatures below the Curie point, while octahedral precipitates were sparsely formed by annealing above the Curie point. The TEM observations confirmed that the microstructural evolution in the Cu–Ni–Co specimens isothermally annealed at 1023 K. Although coherent cubic particles appeared at the initial stage of annealing, incoherent precipitates were finally formed with increased annealing time at 1023 K. The present SQUID measurements indicated that the curve of coercive force vs. annealing time had a peak at a short annealing period.