Binder and lubricant removal from cobalt-rare earth alloys

Claim 1

A process for producing a cobalt-rare earth intermetallic product having substantially stable permanent magnet properties which comprises providing an alloy of cobalt and rare earth metal in particulate form, said cobalt and rare earth metal being used in proportions substantially corresponding to those desired in a final sintered product, mixing an organic binder material with said particulate alloy, pressing said particulate alloy into a green body, subjecting said green body to a bake cycle in (a hydrogen-containing) an atmosphere containing 1 to 100% by volume hydrogen at an intermediate temperature (at which) of between 100° and 500°C for about a half-hour whereby the hydrogen reacts with the molecules forming the organic binder and the resulting molecules volatilize from the green body, and (maintaining said intermediate temperature until the bulk of the organic binder molecules have been volatilized from said body.) thereafter sintering said body.