As giant magnetostrictive materials with low magnetocrystalline anisotropy, Tb-Dy-Fe alloys are widely used in transducers, actuators and sensors due to the effective conversion between magnetic energy and mechanical energy (or acoustic energy). However, the intrinsic brittleness of intermetallic compounds leads to their poor machinability and makes them prone to fracture, which limits their practical applications. Recently, the addition of a fourth element to Tb-Dy-Fe alloys, such as Ho, Pr, Co, Nb, Cu and Ti, has been studied to improve their magnetostrictive and mechanical properties. This review starts with a brief introduction to the characteristics of Tb-Dy-Fe alloys and then focuses on the research progress in recent years. First, studies on the crystal growth mechanism in directional solidification, process improvement by introducing a strong magnetic field and the effects of substitute elements are described. Then, meaningful progress in mechanical properties, composite materials, the structural origin of magnetostriction based on ferromagnetic MPB theory and sensor applications are summarized. Furthermore, sintered composite materials based on the reconstruction of the grain boundary phase also provide new ideas for the development of magnetostrictive materials with excellent comprehensive properties, including high magnetostriction, high mechanical properties, high corrosion resistance and high resistivity. Finally, future prospects are presented. This review will be helpful for the design of novel magnetostrictive Tb-Dy-Fe alloys, the improvement of magnetostrictive and mechanical properties and the understanding of magnetostriction mechanisms.

The effects of initial oriented columnar grains on the texture evolution and magnetostriction in (Fe₈₃Ga₁₇)_99.9(NbC)_0.1 rolled sheets were investigated. The recrystallization texture evolution exhibited the heredity of initial orientations, concerning the formation of cube and Goss textures in the primary recrystallized sheet for the columnar-grained sample. Moreover, the growth advantage of Goss grains was more obvious than that of cube grains during the secondary recrystallization process. Because of the combined effect of this and Nb-rich precipitates as inhibitors, a sharp Goss texture and very large Goss grains were achieved in the secondary recrystallized sheet for the columnar-grained sample. For comparison, the secondary recrystallization in the equiaxed-grained sample was not fully developed although there were Nb-rich precipitates as inhibitors. We think this could be ascribed to the large particle size and premature coarsening of precipitates. Magnetostriction of the secondary recrystallized columnar-grained sheet was up to 232 ppm owing to the ideal Goss texture and quite large grain size. As for the equiaxed-grained sample, the magnetostriction was only 163 ppm in the secondary recrystallized sheet.

The magnetostriction of the Fe₈₂Ga₁₅Al₃ alloy, along the length and width, can be tailored by applying a magnetic field heat treatment. In this work, the Fe₈₂Ga₁₅Al₃ sheet was cut from the directional solidified Fe₈₂Ga₁₅Al₃ alloy with the ⟨100⟩ preferred orientation and was annealed at 720 °C for 30 min under a magnetic field of 800 Oe along the length direction with a heating and cooling rate of 100 °C/min. The magnetostrictive properties along the length and width directions were modified to λ_// = 7 ppm and λ_⊥ = −210 ppm from λ_// = 210 ppm and λ_⊥ = −10 ppm for the initial sample prior to the magnetic field heat treatment. The cellular-like magnetic domain structure was composed of parallel 180° stripe domains and vertical 90° domains observed using a magnetic-force microscope. The change in magnetostriction along parallel and perpendicular directions was mainly resulted from the rotation of the magnetic domain units.