DC electrodeposition of permanent magnets has been studied using parallel electrodes in aqueous solutions of Sm, Co and glycine. It has been shown that reproducible metallic SmCo alloy electrodeposits of high Sm content sufficient to achieve the intermetallic compounds, SmCo_5 and Sm_2Co_(17), have been obtained. These alloys after appropriate heat treatment can provide inexpensive nano- and micron-size as well as electroform materials with high performance permanent magnetic properties. A temperature of 60°C is optimum for producing deposits of at least 32 at % Sm or higher. Some desirable properties can be obtained by the use of certain specific supporting electrolytes. Magnetic hysteresis loops of SmCo deposits at both 25 and 60°C show that as Sm content increases deposits are transformed from anisotropic to isotropic magnetics. Magnetic properties of electrodeposits are comparable to sputtered deposits before heat treatment.
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