Rare earth elements have long been the backbone of high-tech magnets, with metals like neodymium and dysprosium playing pivotal roles in various industries. However, the scarcity and rising demand for these valuable resources have prompted researchers to seek alternative solutions. In an effort to reduce our reliance on rare earth magnets, scientists are exploring innovative materials and alloy combinations. Among the promising contenders is cerium, an abundant and accessible rare earth element, showing potential to replace or augment neodymium magnets. In this article, we’ll delve into the groundbreaking research by Thomas Lograsso and his team at the Ames Laboratory of the US Department of Energy.

The increasing demand for rare earth elements, coupled with the limited number of reliable suppliers, has led to concerns over future shortages. Geopolitical factors, including China’s dominance in the rare earth market, have raised additional challenges. To address these issues, researchers have been on a quest to discover alternative materials for strong permanent magnets that could reduce our reliance on neodymium and other rare earth elements.

Researchers have set their sights on cerium, a rare earth element that is more abundant and economically accessible. To transform cerium into a powerful magnet, the scientists began by exploring paramagnetic materials. These substances are weakly attracted to magnetic fields but are not permanently magnetized.

Thomas Lograsso explains, "We can essentially rehabilitate such systems and turn them into magnets by adding specific materials." This involves starting with alloys or compounds possessing the right properties to become ferromagnetic at room temperature. But which materials fit the bill?

To identify promising candidates, Lograsso and his team employed a computer-based approach. This method allowed them to predict the magnetic behavior of a wide range of materials and determine their suitability for solid-state magnets. The results of this approach were promising, revealing the potential to create powerful magnets with materials like cerium-cobalt (CeCo₃) by introducing additives such as magnesium. Subsequent experiments validated the theory, proving the transformation of cerium-cobalt into a ferromagnet.

Another promising candidate identified through this research is CeCo₅, a material that is already a strong ferromagnet. However, calculations and experiments demonstrated that the addition of copper and iron could further optimize its magnetic properties.

These additives could pave the way for cerium-based materials to potentially replace rare earth magnets like neodymium and dysprosium. The advantage is that cerium belongs to the rare earth family, making it more readily available and easier to source than its counterparts.

Lograsso emphasizes, "Being able to replace the highly demanded and scarce rare earth metals makes sense both economically and environmentally." While the modified cerium-cobalt compounds may not yet match the strength of the most powerful rare earth magnets, they could still provide valuable alternatives for specific applications.

The research doesn’t stop at cerium-based solutions. Lograsso and his team are already experimenting with alternative materials that do not rely on cerium or other rare earth metals. For instance, they are working with cobalt to magnetize iron-germanium (Fe₃Ge) and explore the potential for these materials in high-performance applications.

As we face the challenges of rare earth scarcity and increasing demand, the search for alternative materials is becoming more critical than ever. The groundbreaking work by researchers like Thomas Lograsso and his team offers hope that we can reduce our dependence on rare earth elements, providing more sustainable and accessible solutions for the technologies that power our modern world.

(Written by chatgpt 3.5, proofread by Sven Wehrend, backed up by the source: https://www.scinexx.de/news/technik/alternative-magnete-gegen-den-rohstoffmangel/)