Rare earth magnets are a key component of electrical power applications intended to reduce carbon emissions, with wide-ranging uses in electric vehicles, wind power generation, and more. These magnets rely on critical rare earth elements, mainly neodymium, which is predominantly sourced from China, creating significant risks around availability and pricing. As a result, there is strong interest in recycling available rare earth magnetic material as a way of extending supply and easing supply chain constraints.
In this new paper, EWI engineers Jerry Gould and Olga Eliseeva examine how existing magnetic materials can be recycled through hydrogen decrepitation and resistance-based sintering (RBS) — a cost-effective, high-speed process that reduces scrap magnets to a reusable powder and reconsolidates it into new magnetic product.
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The paper also explores compositional blending strategies to address variation across feedstock sources, offering a path to maximum recycling yield.
Other key topics include:
- How hydrogen decrepitation is used to break down scrap rare earth magnets into a coercive powder suitable for reprocessing
- How RBS rapidly reconsolidates recovered powders into near-net-shape magnets without shielding atmospheres
- How compositional differences across feedstock sources can be managed through powder cataloging and targeted blending
- Implications for supply chain resilience and domestic rare earth availability
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To learn more, contact Jerry Gould, Senior Technology Leader, at [email protected], or Olga Eliseeva, Applications Engineer, at [email protected].