Project Title: Magnetic Amorphous/Nanocrystalline Dual-Phase Materials with Intelligent Control of Their Reversible Magnetic Properties
Project Acronym: MAGIC-PRO
Project Code: PN-IV-P1-PCE-2023-1896
Contract No.: 12PCE/2025
Duration: 36 months
Budget: 1 200 000 lei
Project Summary
The main objective of the MAGIC-PRO project is to design, develop, and characterize a range of dual-phase magnetic materials that allow for the controlled switching between amorphous-like and nanocrystalline-like magnetic properties under the influence of an external stimulus, in order to achieve a wider range of tunability than current amorphous and nanocrystalline magnetic materials. The external stimulus would act on the magnetic anisotropy, changing the magnetic exchange length, which could therefore be either smaller or larger than the inter-grain distance. By accurately controlling the annealing of such materials, one could control the size and distribution of the nanocrystallites, which would in turn affect the magnetic properties.
The concept of reversible magnetic properties is novel and has never been explored before. Its achievement would be a significant breakthrough, as it would allow for the development of new and improved magnetic devices with significantly improved characteristics.
The associate objective of MAGIC-PRO is to exploit the potential applications of the novel dual-phase magnetic materials, grounded in their unique reversible magnetic properties. This includes, but is not limited to, the exploration and development of innovative mechanical stress sensing devices, magnetic field sensing devices, current sensors, or even sensing devices employing dual operating principles.
Research Team
Tibor-Adrian Óvári - Project Director
Horia Chiriac - Experienced Scientist
Nicoleta Lupu - Experienced Scientist
Sorin Corodeanu - Researcher
Gabriel Ababei - Researcher
George Stoian - Researcher
Costică Hlenschi - Postdoctoral Researcher
Iustina Șerbănescu - PhD Student (Young Researcher)
Publications
- “Advances in magnetic nanowires and submicron wires prepared by the quenching-and-drawing technique”
Authors: T.-A. Óvári, N. Lupu, H. Chiriac
Chapter 5 (45 pages)in Magnetic Nano- and Microwires: Design, Synthesis, Properties and Applications, 3rd Edition -March 1, 2026, Editor: Manuel Vázquez, Elsevier - Woodhead Publishing, Paperback ISBN: 9780443365348, eBook ISBN: 9780443365355. - “Micromagnetic investigation of geometry and composition effects on magnetic hysteresis in rapidly solidified cylindrical amorphous glass-coated nanowires”
Authors: C. Rotărescu, H. Chiriac, N. Lupu and T.-A. Óvári
Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials (MAGMA-D-25-02509), under review. - “Reversible magnetic behavior in amorphous wires for precision sensing applications”
Authors: T.-A. Óvári, M. Lostun, S. Corodeanu, G. Ababei, H. Chiriac, N. Lupu
Scientific Reports (Submission ID: 41317cc8-695c-4235-80f1-c0a1410b0d10), under review.
Conferences
- “Direct visualization of magnetic domain walls in submicronic amorphous wires”
Authors: T.-A. Óvári, G. Ababei, S. Corodeanu, H. Chiriac, N. Lupu
29th International Symposium on Metastable, Amorphous and Nanostructured Materials – ISMANAM 2025, 22-27 June 2025, Bratislava, Slovakia - “Engineered domain wall interactions in submicron amorphous wires”
Authors: S. Corodeanu, C. Hlenschi, C. Rotărescu, H. Chiriac, N. Lupu, T.-A. Óvári
Joint European Magnetic Symposia – JEMS 2025, 24-29 August 2025, Frankfurt, Germany - “Soft magnetic behavior and magnetization reversal in rapidly solidified submicronic amorphous wires”
Authors: T.-A. Óvári, S. Corodeanu, G. Ababei, H. Chiriac, N. Lupu
27th Soft Magnetic Materials Conference – SMM 27, 8-11 September 2025, Torino, Italy
Main Results Achieved in the First Year (2025)
- Fabrication of FINEMET amorphous precursors in a wide range of geometries, including ribbons, conventional amorphous wires, glass-coated microwires, submicron wires, and nanowires, using multiple rapid solidification techniques.
- Successful development of nanocrystalline structures through controlled annealing treatments, achieving grain sizes in various nanometer ranges and revealing clear correlations with sample geometry, size, and processing route.
- Comprehensive structural and magnetic characterization performed using XRD, DSC, SEM/HR-SEM, STEM/EDS/SAED, UHR-TEM, hysteresis loop analysis, permeability, and magneto-impedance measurements, confirming tailored nanocrystalline microstructures and enhanced soft magnetic properties.
- Preliminary demonstration of reversible magnetic behavior in amorphous Co-Fe-Si-B wires subjected to optimized thermo-mechanical and relaxation annealing treatments.
- Identification of reversible anelastic ordering of nanoscale clusters as the underlying mechanism responsible for the observed reversible magnetic response, enabling reconfigurable magnetic behavior.
- Potential relevance for high-precision magnetic sensing applications, arising from the controllable and reversible magnetic properties demonstrated.
- Full completion of Objective O1 (precursor fabrication) and substantial progress toward Objectives O2–O5, including thermal treatments, advanced characterization, investigation of geometry effects, and magnetic property optimization.
Project Impact
The implementation of this project generates significant scientific advancement in the field of magnetism and magnetic materials, specifically regarding amorphous and nanocrystalline systems. The main cognitive contributions include:
- Advancement of Fundamental Knowledge: The project elucidates the complex mechanisms governing the interplay between the amorphous matrix and the nanocrystalline phases. By studying the reversible magnetic relaxation processes, we provide new insights into how microstructural evolution directly influences macroscopic magnetic properties (permeability, coercivity).
- Understanding Structure-Property Relationships: The research clarifies how controlled annealing and specific alloy compositions can be tuned to achieve "on-demand" magnetic characteristics, pushing the boundaries of the current state-of-the-art in tunable magnetic materials.
II. Socio-Economic Impact
Beyond the scientific results, the project generates tangible benefits for the economy and society:
- Technological Applications: The developed materials are critical for the next generation of high-sensitivity magnetic sensors and actuators. These applications are directly relevant to the automotive industry, aerospace, and smart grid technologies, contributing to the development of more energy-efficient and reliable sensors.
- Development of Smart Materials: By enabling "intelligent control" of magnetic properties, the project contributes to the growing market of smart materials, offering potential for patentable solutions in security tags or biomagnetic sensors for health monitoring.
- Human Resource Development: The project plays a crucial role in training the next generation of researchers. It supports one PhD student and one postdoctoral researcher by providing access to high-level experimental facilities and mentoring, thus increasing the quality of human capital in the Romanian R&D sector.
- International Visibility: Disseminating results in high-impact publications and international conferences enhances the visibility of Romanian research, fostering new collaborations within the European Research Area (ERA).