SUBSTITUTION OF RARE-EARTHS FOR ADVANCED NOVEL MAGNETS IN ENERGY AND TRANSPORT APPLICATIONS

Project Information

BEETHOVEN

Grant agreement ID: 101129912

DOI

10.3030/101129912

EC signature date 26 April 2024

Start date 1 May 2024

End date 30 April 2028

Funded under

• Digital, Industry and Space

Total cost

€ 6 759 523,75

EU contribution

€ 6 759 523,25

Coordinated by

AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BEETHOVEN (SUBSTITUTION OF RARE-EARTHS FOR ADVANCED NOVEL MAGNETS IN ENERGY AND TRANSPORT APPLICATIONS)

Reporting period: 2024-05-01 to 2025-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Modern technologies required for the transition to a climate-resilient sustainable green and digital future (wind generators, electric
motors) heavily rely on rare-earth (REE) permanent magnets. However, with China covering 98% of the supply to Europe in 2022, the
continent is left in an extremely vulnerable position with respect to these critical raw materials. In this framework, BEETHOVEN seeks
to address the challenge brought forward in the Topic description to reduce the amount of REE employed in the new energy sector.
The main goal of the project is to develop innovative and sustainable advanced magnetic materials that substitute REE in the energy
and transportation sectors. We will work on developing and upscaling 3 types of magnetic phases: high-entropy alloys, ferrite-based
composites and W-type ferrites, that could be deployed at large scale in the permanent magnets market. Substitution will be demonstrated
in final applications by developing REE-bonded magnets for automotive components, and by designing and building prototypes for a
REE-lean wind generator, a REE-free flywheel and a REE-free/lean e-motor for electric vehicles. With a total budget of 7.5 Million
€, balanced between the parallel technological developments and across the project´s value chain, BEETHOVEN will address the 6
activities specified in the Topic Description. To do so, a team of experts from 14 partners and 10 countries -with demonstrated experience
working collaboratively at the frontier of knowledge in the permanent magnet sector- has been assembled. The successful implementation
of the project is expected to put BEETHOVEN in the position to contribute to the expected outcomes and wider impacts of the call by
reducing Europe´s REE magnets imports by an estimated 2,200-4,900 tons by 2033. The key technologies, skills and materials to achieve
this impact will be developed within EU borders, contributing to a more resilient, autonomous and industrially competitive Europe.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Significant progress has been achieved in the first 18 months of the project.

First, the tasks of defining initial values, magnet target requirements and measurement protocols for the development of the advanced materials and magnets has been successfully accomplished. More specifically:
• Minimum acceptable requirements (and tolerances allowed) have been defined for the magnets which will be integrated in the BEETHOVEN prototypes
• Target values have been set for the novel magnets which will be developed in BEETHOVEN
• Pertinent experimental and bibliographic data has been gathered as input for BEETHOVEN simulation works

An important share of the efforts have been dedicated to magnetic materials and magnet development in these first 18 months. The following progress has been achieved:

• High-entropy-alloys (HEAs) (REE-lean magnets): Melt-spun ribbons of HEAs have been produced with coercivity Hc between 0.6-0.9 T and the mass magnetization decreases from 129 Am2/kg for x=0 to 106 Am2/g for x=21. The first batch of partially aligned HEA magnets prototypes has been fabricated (see image below) with energy products (BHmax) of 62 kJ/m3. The current estimation is that the target of BHmax above 120 kJ/m3 can be achieved in the next months. The first integration tests in the final applications are underway.
• W-type sintered ferrites (REE-free magnets): So far, we have produced w-type ferrites with competitive mass magnetization (100 Am2/kg) but low coercivity. Efforts are being dedicated to improve the coercivity of these materials.
• Composite ferrites (REE-free magnets): We have obtained composite powders and aligned low density magnets with promising magnetic properties: Hc = 260 kA/m and Ms = 90 Am2/kg. We are focusing efforts on optimizing the properties and up-scaling the production of nanowires.

In addition, in relation with the development of the final applications where the substitution will be demonstrated, an explorative simulation study has been carried out to identify the viable and optimal range of Generator design parameters in accordance with the permanent magnets under development. A suitable sizing of the topology has been identified to enable arriving at the required power output with a minimum and most convenient supply, shape, and size of the permanent magnets.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The development of HEA magnets, composite ferrite-nanowire magnets and new motor and wind turbine generators constitute important advances with respect to the state-of-the-art. At M18, further research and development are the key needs for further uptake and successful exploitation of the results. However, the importance of supportive regulatory measures cannot be understated, as the proposed substitution solutions will probably come at a higher price than imported rare-earth magnets.

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