Iron-silicon alloy, magnetic properties

Energy losses in soft magnetic materials arise due to both hysteresis and eddy currents, as described in the previous section. Eddy current losses can be reduced by increasing the electrical resistivity of the magnetic material. This is one reason why solid-solution iron-silicon alloys ( 4% Si) are used at power frequencies of around 60 Hz and why iron-nickel alloys are used at audio frequencies. Some magnetically soft ferrites (see Section 6.2.2.1) are very nearly electrical insulators and are thus immune to eddy current losses. Some common soft magnetic materials and their properties are listed in Table 6.19. Soft magnetic alloys are described further in Section 6.2.1.6. 

Soft magnetic materials are characterized hy high permeability and low cnercivily. There are six principal groups of commercially important soft magnetic materials iron and low carbon sieels, iron-silicon alloys, iron-aluminum and iron-aluminuni-silicon alloys, nickel-iron alloys, iron-coball alloys, and ferrites. In addition, iron-boron-hased amorphous soft magnetic alloys are commercially available. Table I summarizes tile properties of some of these materials. Table 2 summarizes properties of some ferrites. Properties of amorphous soft magnetic alloys arc listed in Table 3. 

Iron—Aluminum and Iron—Aluminum—Silicon Alloys. The influence of aluminum on the physical and magnetic properties of iron is similar to that of silicon, ie, stabilization of the bcc phase, increased resistivity, decreased ductility, and decreased saturation magnetization, magnetocrystalline anisotropy, and magnetostriction. Whereas Si—Ee alloys are well estabHshed for electrical appHcations, the aluminum—iron alloys have not been studied commercially. However, small (up to ca 0.3%) amounts of A1 have been added to the nonoriented grades of siHcon steel, because the decrease in ductiHty is less with A1 than with Si. 

Magnicol [Magnetic columnar] A process for making Alnico (an iron-based magnetic alloy containing Al, Ni, Co, and Cu) crystallize with a columnar grain structure in order to optimize its magnetic properties. Successive additions of silicon, carbon, and sulfur are made to the initial melt. 

In alloy steels, iron is mixed with carbon and varying amounts of other elements, mainly metals. Added metals produce desired properties such as hardness and corrosion resistance (Cr), resistance to wear (Mn), toughness (Ni), heat resistance (W and Mo), and springiness (V). Stainless steel is a well-known, corrosion-resistant alloy steel. It contains ten to 30 percent chromium and sometimes nickel and/or silicon. Because of its outstanding magnetic properties, Alnico steel is used to make permanent magnets. Alnico magnets are used in voltmeters and ammeters to rotate the cod of wire connected to the pointer. 

Alloys are metallic substances containing two or more elements which are miscible when molten and do not separate when solidified. They may be liquid or solid. This mixture of elements, usually but not necessarily metals, allows careful manipulation of strength, melting point, corrosion resistance, magnetic, thermal, electrical, and other properties steel, for example, is an alloy of iron and carbon often present with nickel, chromium, copper, aluminium, boron, tungsten, manganese, cobalt, silicon, and other elements. 

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