BH CURVE PROPERTIES

Saturation is most clearly seen in the magnetization curve (also called BH curve or hysteresis curve) of a substance, as a bending to the right of the curve (see graph at right). As the H field increases, the B field approaches a maximum value asymptotically, the saturation level for the substance. Technically, above saturation, the B field continues increasing, but at theparamagnetic rate, which is 3 orders of magnitude smaller than the ferromagnetic rate seen below saturation. [2] The relation between the magnetizing field H and the magnetic field B can also be expressed as the magnetic permeability: or the relative permeability , where is the vacuum permeability. The permeability of ferromagnetic materials is not constant, but depends on H. In saturable materials the relative permeability increases with H to a maximum, then as it approaches saturation inverts and decreases toward one. [2][3] Different materials have different saturation levels. For example, high permeability iron alloys used in transformers reach magnetic saturation at 1.6 - 2.2 teslas (T), [4] whereas ferrites saturate at 0.2 - 0.5 T.[5] Some amorphous alloys saturate at 1.2-1.3 T. [6] Mu metal saturates at around 0.8 T.[7][8]

Magnetic susceptibility and permeability data for selected materials

Medium

Susceptibility m (volumetric SI)

Permeability [H/m]

Relative Permeability /0

Magnetic field

Frequency max.

Metglas

1.25

1,000,000 [7]

at 0.5 T

100 kHz

Nanoperm

10102

80,000[8]

at 0.5 T

10 kHz

Mu-metal

2.5102

20,000[9]

at 0.002 T

Mu-metal

50,000[10]

Cobalt-Iron (high permeability strip material)

18,000[11]

Permalloy

8,000

1.0102

8,000[9]

at 0.002 T

Electrical steel

5.0103

4,000[9]

at 0.002 T

Ferritic Stainless Steel (annealed)

1000 - 1800[12]

Martensitic Stainless Steel (annealed)

750 - 950[12]

Ferrite (manganese zinc)

>8.0104

640 (or more)

100 kHz ~ 1 MHz

Ferrite (nickel zinc)

2.0105 8.0104 16640

100 kHz ~ 1 MHz[citation

needed]

Carbon Steel

8.75104

100[9]

at 0.002 T

Nickel

1.25104

100[9] 600

at 0.002 T

Martensitic Stainless Steel (hardened)

40 - 95[12]

Austenitic Stainless Steel

1.003 - 7 [13][12] [note 1]

Neodymium magnet

1.05[14]

Platinum

1.2569701106

1.000265

Aluminum

2.22105[15]

1.2566650106

1.000022

Wood

1.00000043[15]

Air

1.2566375106

1.00000037 [16]

Concrete (dry)

1[17]

Vacuum

4107 (0)

1[18]

Hydrogen

2.2109[15]

1.2566371106

1.0000000

Teflon

1.2567106[9]

1.0000

Sapphire

2.1107

1.2566368106

0.99999976

Copper

6.4106 or 9.2106[15]

1.2566290106

0.999994

Water

8.0106

1.2566270106

0.999992

Bismuth

1.66104

0.999834

Superconductors