Crystallographic orientation analysis in HDDR process of anisotropic Nd-Fe-B magnet powders

Microstructural changes and crystallographic orientation information in the hydrogenation-decomposition-desorption-recombination (HDDR) process of Nd-Fe-B alloy were investigated using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and precession electron diffraction (PED) in order to understand the mechanism of anisotropy inducement in the HDDR process. Recombined Nd₂Fe₁₄B grains were found to nucleate at the interfaces between NdH₂ and α-Fe grains and to have a [0 0 1]-oriented texture from the beginning of the recombination reaction. The Fe grains form with alignment of one of the 〈1 1 3〉 directions at decomposed stage. This suggests that α-Fe most likely induces texture development of recombined Nd₂Fe₁₄B.