Michael E. McHenry¹, Satoru Simizu¹, Kevin Byerly², Paul Ohodnicki², Subhashish Bhattacharya³; ¹Carnegie Mellon University, ²NETL, ³North Carolina State University

Metal amorphous nanocomposites (MANC)s are promising soft magnetic materials (SMM)s offering low power loss at high frequency and high flux density for high power densities. I will review their potential for applications in rotating electrical machinery. FeNi-based MANCs exhibit high permeability making them attractive for rotating machinery. High speed motor (HSM) applications exploiting MANCs in efficient axial motor topologies proposed. Widespread applications require scaled MANC manufacturing and proliferation of new HSM designs. I will summarize recent efforts to (a) increase resistivity and characterize passivating oxides in Fe-Ni-based MANC SMMs; (b) prototype motor topologies that do not require rare earth permanent magnets or can operate with RE-lean permanent magnets (c) scaling and post-processing of MANC cores for rotor and stator application and (d) development of new MANC compositions which are attractive for conventional stamped motor laminates. The potential for HSMs will be discussed in light of materials scarcity issues.