With the surge in demand for high-performance permanent magnets driven by green technologies, (Ce,Nd,Pr)-Fe-B magnets have emerged as a promising alternative to reduce reliance on critical rare earth elements (REEs) like Nd, Pr, and Dy. The use of Ce, the most abundant REE, in (Nd,Pr)-Fe-B-based magnets offers a cost-effective solution. However, the incorporation of Ce poses a challenge to maintaining sufficient magnetic performance due to the lower intrinsic magnetic properties of the Ce₂Fe₁₄B phase, the harmful REFe₂ phase, and the deteriorated microstructure.

To address these problems, the 2-powder method (2PM) has been implemented, blending an anisotropic powder (AP) characterized with a higher anisotropy field alongside a coarser main powder (MP). Both are based on the RE2Fe14B composition. The blend, combined with conventional sintering, forms a homogeneously distributed core-shell structure across the whole magnet, where the shell region exhibits a higher anisotropic field compared to the core part. This effective magnetic hardening of the grain surface leads to an improvement in coercivity without limitations on magnet shape or size. Two kinds of APs, one (Nd,Pr)-Fe-B-based and one (Nd,Pr,Dy)-Fe-B-based, on (Ce,Nd,Pr)-Fe-B MP were tested. revealing that the specific elemental distribution within the core-shell structure plays a critical role in magnetic performance.

The addition of (Nd,Pr)-Fe-B AP to the (Ce,Nd,Pr)-Fe-B MP resulted in a 25% coercivity improvement, attributed to a Nd-rich shell on the surface region of RE₂Fe₁₄B grains. Meanwhile, (Nd,Pr,Dy)-Fe-B AP led to an impressive 81% increase in coercivity without compromising remanence or energy product. This enhancement is linked to the preferential substitution of Dy on Ce rather than on Nd or Pr, which effectively strengthens the shell region of the RE₂Fe₁₄B phase. Ongoing research focuses on fine-tuning the REE distribution within this structure to further optimize the efficacy of the 2PM.

In summary, the 2PM offers a strategy to enhance the magnetic properties of (Ce,Nd,Pr)-Fe-B magnets, enabling reductions in critical REE use while achieving performance suited for sustainable technology applications.