Effect of domain variations on damping capacity of Fe–16Cr–2.5Mo alloy solution annealed at 1373K and 1473K

The damping capacity of Fe–16Cr–2.5Mo alloy heat-treated at different temperatures was investigated. A water-based magnetic fluid was used to analyze domain morphologies. The experimental results show that there is a maximum value of damping capacity when the solution annealing temperature of the material is 1373 K. When the annealing temperature is higher, the damping capacity of the alloy drops quickly. The change in damping capacity with the solution annealing temperature is believed to be due to different domain morphologies. The domains are larger and the domain-wall area is smaller in the alloy annealed at a higher temperature. The wedge-shaped domains acted as obstacles for pinning the domain-wall movement, even though movement of the 90° domains is easy. As a result, the damping capacity of the alloys drops when the annealing temperature is very high.