South Korea’s Korea Institute of Materials Science has developed a manufacturing technology for high-performance neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnets without heavy rare earths such as dysprosium or terbium. The research team produced ultrafine, high-purity powder at about one micrometer by directly synthesizing Nd-Fe-B particles from rare-earth oxides, then improved particle alignment with surface lubrication and a changing alternating magnetic field.
A hydrogen-assisted process also reduced residual carbon linked to performance losses during heat treatment, while the researchers secured an integrated route from powder production through alignment and sintering. The technology could reduce dependence on concentrated heavy-rare-earth supplies for electric-vehicle motors, robot joints and wind turbines, although process integration and mass production remain future tasks.