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Achieving uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in Ce2Fe17N3 through Co- and Sm-substitution

Nabaraj Pokhrel1,*, Akila Raja2, Brian C. Sales1, German D. Samolyuk1, Deborah Schlagel2, Olena Palasyuk2, Andriy Palasyuk2, and David S. Parker1

  • *Contact author: pokhreln@ornl.gov
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Phys. Rev. Materials 10, 084405 – Published 21 August, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/m6nl-yxbv

Abstract

Th2Zn17−type structure-based permanent magnets, such as Sm2Fe17N3, offer strong potential as alternatives to neodymium magnets (NdFeB), but their practical use is limited by phase stability and the scarcity of Sm. Ce-based counterparts, particularly Ce2Fe17N3, are attractive low-cost candidates, yet their intrinsic planar magnetic anisotropy restricts permanent-magnet performance. Here, we induce uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in Ce2Fe17N3 through two approaches: (i) Co substitution on the Fe sublattice and (ii) partial substitution of Ce with Sm. Combined density functional theory and experimental results show that both strategies modify the 3d–4f interactions and band filling, yielding magnetization values up to ∼1.2T and magnetocrystalline anisotropy energies exceeding 1MJ/m3 for Co-alloyed compositions, with significantly larger anisotropy achieved upon Sm substitution. In addition, the Sm-substituted Ce2Fe17N3 samples exhibit enhanced high-temperature stability compared to Sm2Fe17N3. These findings demonstrate that Ce2Fe17N3-based alloys can deliver magnetic performance suitable for permanent-magnet applications while reducing cost and reliance on critical rare-earth elements, and they provide practical design guidelines for rare-earth-lean magnets for energy and industrial applications.

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Corrections

10 September, 2026

Correction: Figure 3(d) contained an error in labeling and has been replaced. The caption has been adjusted accordingly.

Article Text

Supplemental Material

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Phys. Rev. Materials 10, 084405– Published 21 August, 2026
  • Received 10 March 2026
  • Accepted 4 August 2026
  • Corrected 10 September 2026
Article part of CHORUS
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