Ferromagnetic domain patterns have been observed, using the powder pattern technique, on single crystals of Ni-Co alloys containing 4, 6, 12, 18, 20, 68, 69, and 70% Co as well as on cobalt ingots as solidified slowly and then variously heat-treated. Annealed 4∼20% Co-Ni single crystals revealed maze patterns even after severe electrolytic polishing and proper domain patterns only after quite severe electrolytic polishing. Analysis of the observed domain patterns indicates that the first magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant,
K1, is positive for 4∼18% Co, while it is negative for 20% Co. A domain pattern observed on a locally strained (100) surface of a 12% Co-Ni single crystal, which consists of 180° domain walls radiating from the loaded point, shows that the internal stress in the surface layer takes a distribution concentric around the loaded point.
68% Co-Ni single crystals revealed domain patterns characteristic to f.c.c. crystals with
K1<0, and, in 69% Co-Ni single crystals, ε (h.c.p.) phase crystals were seen as layers parallel to {111} planes, indicating that the boundary of the γ (f.c.c.) phase is located at 68% Co. Further, on {110} surfaces of 69% Co-Ni single crystals, traces of ε-phase crystals were seen as bands parallel to two 〈112〉 and one 〈110〉 directions. The behavior of 180° domain walls in the matrix γ-phase crystal when they meet with ε-phase crystal bands shows that the direction of easy magnetization in ε-phase Ni-Co alloys is the [0001] direction, irrespective of the compositon, just as in cobalt.
Finally, cobalt ingots, which were solidified slowly from the melt and then cooled very slowly through the γ→ε transformation temperature, are seen to be finely divided by numerous ε-phase crystal bands, among which there exist γ-phase crystal regions of parallelogram and triangular shapes. A similar structure is observed in cobalt ingots as quenched in hot water after slow solidification, although the proportion of γ-phase in quenched ingots is larger than in slowly cooled ones.
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