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Magnetic properties of materials 2.6.6

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Section: 2.6 Electricity and magnetism
SubSection: 2.6.6 Magnetic properties of materials
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2.6.6 Magnetic properties of materials

Many magnetic properties of materials are expressed in terms of the magnetic field strength H, magnetic flux density B and the magnetic polarization J. The SI units
of H and B are, respectively, ampere per metre (A m1) and tesla (T).
The relation between the quantities expressed in SI units is:
B= 0 H + J
in which 0 is 4 107 H m1, the magnetic constant (permeability of free space). The absolute permeability, ( = B/H) and the volume susceptibility (= J/
are thus related by the equation:
= 0(1 + )
The mass susceptibility is equal to /, where is the density. The relative permeability r = /0 is the permeability of the material relative to that of a vacuum
and is the value given in the tables.
In ferromagnetic materials as H is increased steadily from zero the permeability changes and is at first relatively small, its value being defined as the initial
permeability, then reaches a maximum value, and finally decreases towards 0 as the polarization tends towards a limiting value (B 0H). The flux density
remaining when H is reduced to zero is the remanent flux density and the negative H needed to reduce B to zero is the coercive force. The remanent flux density
and coercive force for a cycle which proceeds to saturation are called the remanence, Br , and the coercivity, HcB . In an open magnetic circuit the variation of
with H is usually measured and the coercivity is then denoted by HcJ.
When a ferromagnetic material is taken through a cycle of magnetization there is a loss of energy as heat due to the combined effects of hysteresis, induced eddy
currents and domain wall motion. The hysteresis loss per unit volume, Qh =

H dB, has been shown empirically to vary as B1.6max over a limited range of peak

density of up to about 1 T for high saturation materials, and 0.5 T for low saturation materials. This relationship, known as the Steinmetz law, is nevertheless only
approximate. Some indication of the second loss, namely the eddy current power loss, may be calculated from standard formulae once certain relevant physical
parameters are known. In their present forms, however, these formulae are only approximate. The total power losses that will be dissipated in laminar material when
an alternating flux is developed in it has a direct bearing on the efficiency that can be realized in equipment such as transformers and electric motors and should
therefore be known accurately. Accordingly the power losses of representative forms of typical materials are measured and some of these are given in Table (3) in
terms of power loss per unit mass.
Many magnetic properties of ferromagnetic materials depend greatly on previous history, state of strain, temperature, size, perfection and orientation of crystals,
and the effect of small traces of impurity may be enormous.
When heated, ferromagnetic materials become paramagnetic at a temperature known as the (ferromagnetic) Curie point.
Ferrimagnetic materials (ferrites) have all of the above characteristics of ferromagnetic materials. However, due to their high resistivity, soft (low coercivity) ferrites
are widely used in high frequency applications, in which case the following parameters are also of interest:

(a)

Power loss densitythis is another name for specific total power loss, but for ferrite materials the loss is usually expressed per unit volume.

(b)

Loss factorthe performance of ferrites at low field strengths is often indicated by the expression tan where is the loss angle, i.e. the phase angle
between B and H. However, information regarding power losses is usually given in the form of loss factors normalized to unit permeability, , since this
facilitates the calculation of loss coefficients of gapped ferrite cores. Hence the loss factor is:
tan

tan h

tan e

tan r

where tan h, tan e and tan r are the loss angles for the hysteresis, eddy current and residual losses respectively, all of which are present to a greater or
lesser extent and combine to give the total loss, tan .
(c)

IEC hysteresis coefficient B in considering recommendations for standard forms of loss expression, the International Electrotechnical Commission agreed
following relationship for the hysteresis coefficient, B ,
B =

(d)

tan h
Bmax

Temperature factorthe permeability of a magnetic material may change for a variety of reasons, the most obvious being the change of temperature. Over a
limited temperature range the relationship between the reversible change in magnetic permeability, , and the corresponding change in temperature,
given by the temperature coefficient, TC:

TC =

As with the loss factor, it is usual to normalize the values to unit permeability which gives the loss factor:

loss factor =

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Magnetic properties of materials 2.6.6

Disaccommodation factorthe permeability of a magnetic material can also change with time after magnetization. This phenomenon is often called
disaccommodation. If the permeabilities 1 and 2 correspond to times t 1 and t 2 then the disaccommodation is given by:
1
2

100%

1
As with the loss and temperature factors, the disaccommodation factor is normalized to unit permeability and is given by:

disaccommodation factor =

1 2
12

100%.

Apart from changes in their magnetic permeability, some materials have other responses to changes in magnetic field strength. All conducting materials exhibit the
Hall effect, of which there are two forms. In the transverse Hall effect a voltage is developed in a direction at right angles to a current passing through the material
when a magnetic field is applied in a mutually perpendicular direction. The relationship between the current flowing through the material Ix , the output voltage,
the thickness of the material, t z, and the applied magnetic field strength, Hz, is given by:
Vy = (KH Ix 0 Hz) /t z
where KH is the transverse Hall coefficient of the material. It has been found that some semiconducting materials have sufficiently high Hall coefficients to produce
convenient, small size and low cost magnetic sensors. Indium arsenide having a Hall coefficient of 0.75 Vm/TA is a widely used material.
The same conditions that produce the transverse Hall effect also give rise to a voltage in the direction of the current and this is sometimes called the longitudinal
Hall effect but more usually magnetoresistance. Until recently only small changes in resistance have been observed (up to 2% for the widely used Ni80Fe20 material
at room temperature) but the so-called giant magnetoresistance (GMR) has been observed in multilayers of Fe/Cr (50% change in resistance) and Co/Cu (120
change in resistance). However, strong magnetic field strengths ( 800 kA/m) and a temperature of 4.2 K are required to observe GMR in a multilayer. In all cases
the magnetoresistance of a material is a complex function of the applied magnetic field strength, temperature, material type and thickness.
Since the properties may vary considerably from specimen to specimen due to chemical composition and state of heat treatment, the values given are only to be
regarded as typical of the materials mentioned. A range of values is indicated by a dash.

Symbols used in tables:

B = magnetic flux density
Br = remanence
H = magnetic field strength
HcB = induction coercive force, coercivity
HcJ = magnetization coervice force, coercivity
J
Js

= magnetic polarization
= (B 0H)s = saturation polarization

Qh = hysteresis loss per unit volume per cycle

r

= relative magnetic permeability

= initial relative magnetic permeability

(1) Magnetic susceptibilities of paramagnetic and diamagnetic materials

Values are mass susceptibility per kilogram, , at 20C.
108

108

Common elements
Hydrogen . . . . . 2.49
Oxygen. . . . . . .+133.6
Helium . . . . . . 0.59
Neon . . . . . . . 0.41
Argon . . . . . . .
0.60
Krypton . . . . .
0.41
Xenon . . . . . . 0.40
Nitrogen . . . . .
0.54
Sodium
. . . . .
+0.75
Potassium . . . . .
+0.65

Aluminium . . . . .
Copper
. . . . .
Silver
. . . . . .
Gold
. . . . . .
Platinum . . . . . .
Mercury . . . . . .
Bismuth . . . . . .
Sulphur . . . . . .
Lead . . . . . . .
Uranium . . . . . .

Common compounds
H2O
. . . . . .

NiSO47H2O

+0.82
0.107
0.25
0.19
+ 1.22
0.21
1.70
0.62
0.15
+2.19

NiSO4K2SO47H2O

+20.1

Araldite . . . . . .

+13.9

P.V.C

CO2

. . . . . .

0.59

CuSO45H2O . . .

+ 7.7

NH3

. . . . . .

1.38

MnSO44H2O . . .

+81.2

HCl

. . . . . .

0.75

FeSO4(NH4)2

. .

. . . . .

0.50

SO46H2O

. . .

. . . . . .
. . . . . .

0.64

(anhydrous) . .
(in solution) . .

+59.3

. . .

. . . . . .

NaCl
NiCl2

Germanium . . . . .
Silicon . . . . . . .
Arsenic
. . . . . .
Indium . . . . . . .
Antimony . . . . . .
Tellurium . . . . . .
Gallium . . . . . . .
Phosphorus . . . . .

0.15
0.16
0.39
0.14
1.09
0.39
0.30
1.13

Common materials
0.90

NO

H2SO4

108

. . . . . .

0.63
0.75

Perspex . . . . . .

0.5

Polyethylene

+0.2

. . .

+40.6

+78.5
+43.0

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Magnetic properties of materials 2.6.6

Notes:
(1) To obtain values in C GS units per gramme, the SI values given should be multiplied by 103 /4.
(2) For a more complete list of elements, see L. F. Bates, Modern Magnetism (C UP).

(2) Feebly magnetic steels and cast irons

Material

Approx.%
composition
(Balance iron)

Condition

Aluminium silicon bronze

CA 12
Aluminium nickel bronze

see BS 2872
and BS 2874
see ISO 428

CA3
High tensile brass CZ114

see BS 2872, BS 2874

as cast

or HT1

for H = 5 kA/m*

as cast

1.001

as cast

1.21.4

1.05

1.003
1.15
14.8
1.003
1.008
1.050
1.59
1.004
1.005
1.04
1.55
1.003
1.004
1.05
1.002
1.002

0.68

Austenized

1.003

0.74

81% cold reduction

Austenized
16.5% cold reduction
41.5% cold reduction
Austenized
13.5% cold reduction
40% cold reduction
60% cold reduction

1.007
1.003
1.018
1.40
1.004
1.007
1.06
1.25

and ISO 426

Austenitic stainless steels

AISI type:
301

Ni 7.8, Cr 17.6

302

Ni 9.0, Cr 18.4

304

Ni 10.7, Cr 19.0

305

Ni 11.7, Cr 17.9

310

Ni 20.7, Cr 24.3

316

Ni 13.4, Cr 17.5

Austenized
19.5% cold reduction
55% cold reduction
Austenized
20% cold reduction
44% cold reduction
68% cold reduction
Austenized
13.8% cold reduction
32% cold reduction
65% cold reduction
Austenized
18.5% cold reduction
52.5% cold reduction
Austenized
64.2% cold reduction

321

Ni 10.3, Cr 18.3, Ti 0.68

347

Ni 10.7, Cr 18.4, Co 0.95

0.70

0.72

0.94

0.72

0.73

* In general, the relative magnetic permeability decreases at higher values of magnetic field strength.

Low permeability reference materials available from National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 0LW, UK.
C . B. Post and W. S. Eberley, Stability of austenite in stainless steels, Trans. Am. Soc. Metals, 1947, 39, p. 868.

(3) Soft (low coercivity) materials

Material
(approx. % composition , balance iron)

B/T for
H/(A m1) =

1000

Ferromagnetic elements
Iron, high purity (single
crystals in preferred direction) . .
Armco iron
. . . . . . . . . . .
Cast iron (annealed)
. . . . . . .
Swedish iron (annealed)
. . . . .
Nickel
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cobalt
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Steels (solid)
Carbon steel (annealed) 1% C . . .
Constructional steels:
0.3% C, 1% Ni
0.4% C, 3% Ni, 1.5% Cr . . . .
Mild steel, 0.1% C . . . . . . .

5000

Relative
permeability r

Js

HcB

Br

A m1

Curie
point
C

Resistivity
108 m

Specific total
loss for
J = 1.5 T,

Specific
apparent power
for J = 1.5 T,

Initial

Maximum

f=
50Hz

f=
50Hz

1000

1000

W/kg

VA/kg

2.01
1.55
0.60
1.52
0.45
0.21

2.01
1.72
0.86
1.72
0.55
0.70

0.25

1500
7

2.16
2.16
1.70
2.16
0.615
1.76

12
80
400
70
400
950

1.3

0.75

1.54

2.00

600

1.32
0.75
1.46

1.68
1.67
1.74

2.10
2.05
2.15

250
500
150

770
770

770
358
1115

10
11

9
9

10

Steels (sheet)
Grain oriented silicon steels with
preferred magnetic properties in

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Magnetic properties of materials 2.6.6

direction of rolling of the parent strip

(d.c. magnetization):
Unisil-H, 103-27-P5, (27MOH) 2.9% Si
Unisil,089-27-N5,(27M4)
097-30-N5, (30M5)
3.1%Si
111-35-N5, (35M6)
Non-oriented silicon steels:
SURA 300-35-A5, (CK-37) 2.9% Si
400-50-A5, (CK-40) 2.4% Si
800-65-A5, (DK-70) 1.6% Si
Non-oriented, non-silicon steel:
Newcor 1000-65-D5 . . . . . . .

1.93
1.86
1.86
1.84

2.00
1.96
1.96
1.94

93
75
59
58

2.00
2.00
2.00
2.00

6
7
7
7

745
745
745
745

45
48
48
48

1.00 (J = 1.7T)
0.84
0.89
1.00

1.38 (J = 1.7T)
1.16
1.32
1.39

1.46
1.48
1.53

1.65
1.69
1.73

8
7
5

2.00
2.03
2.08

40
40
70

745
748
758

48
44
34

2.95
3.60
6.50

28
19
14

1.59

1.75

2.15

50

770

12

7.00

9.6

0.15 (J = 1.7T)

0.20 (J = 1.0T)

Amorphous ironboron alloys

(metallic glass)
Metglas

2605 S-3 . . . . . . .

1.58

0.7

405

125

Metglas

2605 SC . . . . . . .

1.61

1.1

370

125

Material
(approx. % composition , balance iron)

Flux density B/T for H/(A m1) =

1.0

10

50

100

Relative permeability r

1000 50 000

Initial

Maximum

1000

1000

Js

HcB

Br

A m1

Curie
point
C

Resistivity
108

Nickel iron alloys

Supermumetal
Nilomag 771

7080% Ni with small

Mumetal plus

amounts of other

Mumetal

elements

EPC 20
Nilomag 641

65% Ni + small
amount of other
elements, oriented

Nilomag 471

0.45 0.72 0.76 0.78

200

400

0.77

0.55

0.5

350

55

0.30 0.70 0.75 0.77

80

300

0.77

0.8

0.45

350

55

0.18 0.60 0.72 0.75

60

240

0.77

1.0

0.45

350

55

0.41.0

200400

1.4

1.35

590

48

1.4

1.62

211

50120

1.6

412

0.41.2

530

43

0.01 0.48 1.05 1.18 1.62

36

2050

1.6

1224

0.41.0

530

50

0.20 1.15 1.3

1.35

0.3
1.46 1.50 1.55

65
0.51.0

240
50100

1.5
1.6

2.0
10

0.7
1.5

550
525

60
40

180270

80

70

85

980
980
980
980

20
47
40
10

330

715
10100

19

0.03 1.02 1.25

Super Radiometal
50% Ni + small
Radio metal 4550

amounts of
other elements

Satmumetal
HCR alloy

+oriented structure

Radio metal 36
Hyperm 36
R2799

35% Ni

36% Ni
30% Ni, temperature
compensating alloy

Cobalt-iron alloys
Permendur 24 24% Co
Permendur 49 49% Co
Supermendur 49% Co, 2% V
Hisat 50
49% Co, 0.3% Ta
Other alloys
Heusler alloy
Isoperm
Perminvar
Nickel copper

61% Cu, 26% Mn, 13% Al

30% Ni, 11% Cu
40% Ni, 25% Co
70% Ni, 30% Cu

0.15 0.72 0.90 1.2

15

1.3

12

0.35

1.75

0.45

2.34
2.34
2.34
2.44

0.25
1.0

2.0
7
70
18

2.35
2.35
2.35
2.44

0.01 0.25
0.45
constant permeability alloy
constant permeability alloy

0.07
0.15

0.06
0.30

0.065
1.5

0.48

1.55

constant permeability alloy

0.1

0.002
0.01

0.02
0.13
2.05
1.5

0.05
0.33
2.1
1.8

1.45
1.85
2.3
2.3

950
140
20
40

550

100

1.65
1.5
2.1
1.8

Manufacturers: European Electrical Steels Newport, Gwent. Allied C hemical C orpn., Morris Township, NJ, USA. Telcon Ltd, C rawley. Henry wiggin & C o., Hereford.
Notes:
(1) The initial relative permeability values for the nickel iron alloy are for a magnetic field strength of 0.4 A/m.
(2) For further information on the properties of solid steels see J. Woolman and R. A. Mottram(19649) Mechanical and Physical Properties of the BS En Steels, Vols. 1, 2 and 3, Pergamon.

Material

Initial
Frequency
relative
range
permeability
MHz
i

Loss
factor
at
maximum
frequency

Temperature
factor
106 /C

106

Carbonyl iron powder cores

type 100
type 500

30
12

0.12
110

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700
250

Flux
density
B/T for

IEC
Power
Disaccommodation Curie Resistivity
hysteresis
loss
factor
point
m
density coefficient
6
C
B
10
H/(A m1)
for
=800
B = 0.2T,
f = 16 kHz
mW/cm3

20
12

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Magnetic properties of materials 2.6.6

type 900
type 901
Magnetic iron oxide powder cores

10
5

150
10100

20300

90 at 1 kHz

65 at 150 kHz

type 910

600
1500

12
12

500
(at 100 MHz)

40

130
50
100
500

180
270
270
500

300
1000
1000
1000

12
80
50

180
180
220

0.5
1
5

300
1000

450
500

1000
1000

0.45
0.48

150
75

180
200

1
1

02
0.51.5
0.41.0

2.5
0.8
0.4

8
5
3

150
150
150

Iron flake cores

used for interference
suppression, relative
initial permeability
falls rapidly with
frequency
Ferrite cores
(a) for radio, TV and
low power uses:
nickel zinc,
type F13
type F14
type F16
type F22
manganese zinc,
type F10
type F8
type F11
(b) perminvar, high
frequency low power
uses
type F25
type F29
(c) manganese zinc for
high power uses
type F6
type F5
(d) manganese zinc, high
stability, low loss,
telecommunications
uses
type P10
type P11
type P12

650
220
125
19
5000
1500
600

0.051
0.12
110
540
0.010.1
0.050.5
0.11

50
12

540
10200

1500
2000

2000
2200
2200

12*
5*
3*

1
1
1

* Loss factor at 100 kHz.

Note: For more complete details of soft ferrite materials see E. C . Snelling, Soft Ferrites, Properties and Applications (Iliffe Books Ltd., London).

(4) Permanent magnet (magnetically hard) materials

(a) Typical alloys in the AlNiCo series (cast material):
Material

Approx.
composition
(balance iron)

Remanence
Br

%
Alni
Alnico 1
Alnico
Alnico 2
Alcomax III
Alnico 5
Alcomax III
Alnico 5 DG

Coercivity

(BH)max
kJ m 3

HcB

HcJ

kA m 1

kA m 1

Curie
point
C

Maximum
operating
temperature

Resistivity
m

isotropic

Ni 25, Al 13, Cu 4

0.56

10.0

46

49

760

550

0.63

isotropic

Ni 19, Al 10, Co 12, Cu 6

0.73

13.5

45

48

800

550

0.65

1.30

43

52

53

850

550

0.55

1.32

49

56

57

860

550

0.55

1.35

60

59

60

860

550

0.55

0.85

32

95

97

850

550

0.50

0.90

44

127

129

850

550

0.50

1.05

80

124

126

850

550

0.50

anisotropic
semicolumnar

Ni 13.5, Al 8, Co 24, Cu 3

Columax

columnar
Alnico 57
Hycomax II
anisotropic

Ni 14.5, Al 7, Co 29,
Cu 4.5, Ti 5

Hycomax III
Alnico 8

anisotropic

Alnico 9 columnar

Ni 14, Al 7.3, Co 34,

Cu 3, Ti 5.25

Note: The isotropic and anisotropic alloys can also be prepared by sintering, in which case the magnetic properties can be up to 20% less than those for cast
material.

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Magnetic properties of materials 2.6.6

(b) Rare-earth alloys:

Type

Material

Remanence
Br

KJ m3

T
Supermagloy, sintered
pressed axially

Coercivity

(BH)max

Curie
point

Maximum
operating
temperature

Resistivity

HcB

HcJ

kA m 1

kA m 1
1500

725

150

0.70

0.90

160

680

0.95

176

720

1500

725

150

0.70

1.05

210

760

7002000

800

250

0.70

0.58

56

380

760

Sm Co5
pressed isostatically
Sm2Co17

anisotropic

Sm Co5 +

bonded

binder

Neodure

Sintered

Nd Fe B

Neorem
anisotropic
Magnequench, isotropic
bonded,
Bemag 5N
injection moulded,
NIN 403
anisotropic

60*

1.151.35

220350

880960

8901700

300320

0.61

64

424

1200

0.40

32

300

600

Nd Fe B + binder

150
60*
150

10

1.50
180

* Limited by the properties of the bonding material.

(c) Ferrites:
Material

Approx.
composition
(balance iron)

Remanence
Br

sintered isotropic

MMG D1

kJ m3

%
Feroba 1

(BH)max

Coercivity
HcB

HcJ

kA m1

kA m1

Curie
point
C

Maximum
operating
temperature

Resistivity
m

0.22

135

220

450

350

104

0.39

28

176

184

450

350

104

0.37

26

240

230

450

350

104

0.40

30

295

320

450

350

104

BaO + 5.9 (Fe2O3)

Ferroba 2
Ferroxdure 300
Feroba 3

sintered anisotropic

Ferroxdure 380

SrO + 5.9 (Fe2O3)

Ferroxdure 500
Flexam P5

bonded isotropic

MMG 01
Flexor 45

bonded anisotropic

FXD SP106

0.14

3.2

85

175

120*

106

0.25

11.2

175

240

120*

106

* Limited by the properties of the bonding material.

Further information on the properties of permanent magnet materials and details of manufacturers are given in M. McC aig and A. G. C legg (1987) Permanent Magnets in Theory and Practice
2nd edn, Pentech Press, London.

A.E.Drake.

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