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    Machine-learning-guided high-throughput discovery of rare earth-free Fe-Co-S magnets

    Timothy Liao1,2,3,*, Zhao Tang1, Weiyi Xia4, Qi Zhang1, Masahiro Sakurai1,5, Renhai Wang6, Chao Zhang7, Huaijun Sun8, Cai-Zhuang Wang4 et al.

    James R. Chelikowsky1,2,9

    • *Contact author: tl3511@columbia.edu

    Phys. Rev. Materials 10, 104404 – Published 2 October, 2026

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/dr17-jbzc

    Abstract

    We present a machine-learning-guided first-principles study of rare-earth-free magnetic materials in the Fe-Co-S ternary system. A crystal-graph convolutional neural network (CGCNN) fine-tuned through three successive generations of iterative retraining, combined with adaptive genetic algorithm (AGA) structure searches, rapidly screens more than 300 000 substitutional structures and down-selects approximately 1400 candidates for density-functional-theory (DFT) validation. Spin-polarized DFT screening followed by phonon calculations identifies two dynamically stable tetragonal candidates, Fe17Co4S4 (I4/m) and Fe2Co9S2 (I4¯m2), with saturation polarization Js≥1T and energies approximately 0.10 eV/atom above the convex hull. These compounds emerge as the leading synthesis targets. Notably, Fe17Co4S4 exhibits Ehull=0.107 eV/atom, Js=1.88T, and magnetocrystalline anisotropy K1=0.71 MJ/m3. We also identify eight near-hull phases (Ehull<0.01 eV/atom) and independently rediscover the electrochemically prominent spinel FeCo2S4, providing an internal validation of the search strategy. Compared with our prior Fe-Co-C/Si/P studies, Fe-Co-S exhibits distinct stability and magnetization regimes consistent with the larger sulfur anion. The combination of machine learning with quantum simulations narrows synthesis targets for Fe-rich sulfides with high Js and moderate K1, which are competitive with hard ferrites.

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