Johnson Matthey Technology Review - Fast Track

Nd-Fe-B is a rare earth element (REE) based permanent magnet material which consist of main magnetic phase Nd2Fe14B and minor phase Nd-rich or α-Fe.  Nd-Fe-B permanent magnet has a remarkable maximum energy product (BHMax) reaching 474 kJ/m3 or nearly 60 MGOe, making Nd-Fe-B magnets as the ultimate permanent magnet material and widely used in various technological applications.  A commercial Nd-Fe-B magnet contains 22-32 wt% of rare earth elements such as Nd, Dy, Pr, and La, which causes an increasing demand for rare earth elements.  As a results, the availability of REE from natural resources are decreasing and several REE such as Nd, Dy, and Pr are in the critical category.  The recycling process of Nd-Fe-B magnet waste to recover the containing REE is one possible solution to provide raw materials for permanent magnet industry and minimizing electronical devices waste.  Pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical metal extraction process are commonly used for REE recovery process.  These two methods are excellent for REE recovery and relatively easy to conduct, allowing pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical methods to be adopted on industrial scale to the availability of raw materials for Nd-Fe-B magnet industry.

The influence of Hf content on the recrystallization and aging behavior of hot-rolled Pt-15Ir-xHf-0.5Y alloy was investigated by SEM, EBSD and hardness tests. The results show that the alloy texture evolves from a multi-peak one biased towards rolling direction-transverse direction (RD-TD) in the hot rolling state to a multi-peak one symmetrical along the normal direction (ND) after recrystallization annealing. The fibrous grains become equiaxial after recrystallization annealing, increase of Hf content refines the grains. Pt-15Ir-xHf-0.5Y alloy exhibits age-hardening behavior at the temperature range of 600°C~900°C, which is due to the precipitation of (Pt, Ir)5Y phase. Increasing Hf addition effectively improves the hardness through promoting the precipitated amount of (Pt, Ir)5Y phase. However, the internal oxidation within grain boundaries is deteriorated with the high-content Hf addition. The results of this study provide an insight into tailoring the microstructures and mechanical properties of the Pt-Ir high-temperature alloys.

Abstract— Floating offshore wind (FOW) farms are key in meeting Europe’s renewable energy targets, harnessing wind energy from waters 60m or deeper, where bottom-fixed farms are unfeasible. Additionally, floating structures allow for the installation of larger turbines than stationary farms, which in turn leads to a greater energy output. However, cable failures dramatically impact the energy transmission from the farms and cause most of the financial losses. Monitoring and maintenance tasks are challenging due to the harsh ocean conditions. The FLOW-CAM project, supported by European Union’s HORIZON 2020 program, studies the structural health monitoring (SHM) of defects in the power cables of the FOW farms which encompass inspection and detection applications. An SHM system integrated with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was developed for underwater inspection and maintenance, supporting collection and presentation of essential data through an advanced interface. Image data from underwater systems are analyzed using computer vision techniques. Investigations into cable defect detection and the estimation of corrosion and remaining useful life have been held to monitor cable health, achieving results close to reality. FLOW-CAM’s collective works establish a basis for advancing underwater inspection and maintenance, concentrating on the development of practical and effective tools and strategies to optimize the functionality and reliability of FOW farms.