Experimental and numerical analysis reveals phase separation challenges in NdFeB powder under high temperatures, suggesting improvements for recycling methods.
Recycling end-of-life magnets offers a sustainable solution to the growing demand for rare-earth (RE) permanent magnets, essential for clean energy, electric vehicles, and advanced technologies. Emerging additive manufacturing (AM) techniques such as laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) for producing new magnets from recycled materials requires feedstock with specific morphologies, such as spherical shapes, to ensure the uniform printing bed and high performance of fabricated parts. Thermal plasma, specifically radio frequency inductively coupled plasma (RF-ICP), provides an environmentally friendly method for recycling neodymium magnets (Nd2Fe14B or NdFeB) and spheroidizing NdFeB powder, minimizing contamination and harmful emissions. A key challenge is the separation of magnetic and non-magnetic phases at high temperatures. This study combines experimental and numerical approaches to investigate NdFeB powder behavior during the RF-ICP process. This dual approach enhances process control and provides insights for optimizing recycled NdFeB powder production, supporting the development of sustainable materials for clean energy applications.
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Javid et al. (2025) studied this question.
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