Preparation of Sm-Co Alloy Nanopowders Using Mixture of Sm and Co Powders by Induction Thermal Plasma Process

The induction thermal plasma (ITP) process, which is a bottom-up physical gas evaporation process, is a promising method for preparing nanoparticles smaller than 300 nm. In this study, the Sm-Co magnetic alloy nanopowders were successfully prepared by the ITP process using a mixture of Sm and Co powders with an atomic ratio of Sm:Co = 1:1.5, and 1:6. Spherical nanoparticles with a mean particle size of approximately 50-56 nm were obtained. The formation of Sm-Co alloy phases according to the mixing ratio of Sm and Co powders was investigated using X-ray diffraction profile and thermomagnetic analysis. This study suggests that the ITP process is a promising new strategy for the preparation of unique magnetic nanopowders.