Neodymium Rare Earth magnets

Why do we need Neodymium Rare Earth magnets?

    Man has always been fascinated by magnets. Their power to attract pieces of iron had been one of the mysteries of the ancient world. Magnetism was something no one truly understood, but it was something to be revered.

As Man begun understanding magnetism, so its applications increased in the various walks of life. It was magnets in the ancient world that helped sailors find their directions with compasses. Magnets had always been known for possessing a power to heal. This was known and practiced by the early Chinese.

Magnets eventually found their way into the heart of almost every device imaginable. Ranging from the electric motors and transformers to latest computers, all employ magnetism. Permanent magnets are ubiquitously present in almost all electronic devices.

With development in applications of magnets, also came development of magnetic materials. The old iron magnets of old have now been replaced by much more powerful ones. The most powerful magnets today are Neodymium Rare Earth magnets.

Neodymium Rare Earth magnets are characterized by their incredibly strong magnetic field coupled with their inexpensive price.

What exactly are Neodymium Rare Earth magnets?

    Neodymium Rare Earth magnets are the strongest and most popular type of rare earth magnets. They are made from an alloy consisting of Nickel, Iron and Boron.  The structure formed has a crystalline structure which helps in formation of the magnetic poles in the material. Neodymium magnets are extremely strong and have replaced most of the earlier magnets.  Their incredible magnetic field is down to their extremely high magnetic coercivity and anisotropy.

The magnetic field of Neodymium Rare Earth magnets is about 1.5 Tesla (unit of magnetism) while that of traditional ferrite magnets is about 0.5 tesla. Neodymium magnets are manufactured by either the sintering technique or the rapid solidification or bonded magnet process.

Property differences among Neodymium Rare Earth magnets may be due to the amount of nickel, iron and boron present in the alloy, manufacturing processes, etc.

Where are Neodymium Rare Earth magnets used?


    Neodymium Rare Earth magnets have replaced ferrite or alnico permanent magnets in almost all fields.

They are especially effective in situations where high magnetic power is required in a low corrosion environment. This makes them ideal for use as:
-    Actuators in hard disk drives
-    Loudspeakers, microphones and headphones
-    Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) used in medical purposes
-    Permanent motors of different kinds
-    Magnetic jewellery
-    Children’s toys

These and other applications of Neodymium Rare Earth magnets have made them a big success.