NdFeB magnets are composed of neodymium, iron, and boron, while SmCo magnets are made from rare earth materials such as samarium and cobalt in proportions. Both materials are permanent magnets with high remanence, high coercivity, and wide hysteresis loops. Both NdFeB and SmCo permanent magnets have excellent properties, but they differ. For example, NdFeB permanent magnets have a higher maximum energy product, while SmCo permanent magnets have better temperature stability. In addition, the price of NdFeB permanent magnets is relatively low, while the price of SmCo permanent magnets is relatively high. SmCo magnetic materials can run better at high temperatures than Neodymium magnet materials and are more corrosion-resistant than NdFeB. Neodymium magnets have a much larger magnetic field than most permanent magnets and are inexpensive. The SmCo permanent magnet also has similar features and physical properties.
What are RareEarth Magnets -and What are They Used For?
Sodium Cobalat (SmCo5 or Sm2CO17) and Niodoymium-iron-boron (Nd2Fe14C). It's a rare earth, as Samaria and Neodymium both occur in the Lanthanide Series of metals on the periodic table. Therefore, the characteristics and crystal structure of these magnets are highly comparable. A shamanium alloy can contain cobalt which has become a transitional material. And neodymium magnets can be combined with iron — an intermediate metal. All magnetic devices are made out of rare Earth metals bonded together by transition metals.
Crystal Structure of Rare Earth Magnets
SmCo has the same crystal structure as the NeFeB. SmCo is hexagonal with NfeB tetraonal. These structures provide high magnetic properties of the rare Earth magnet. This Crystal Structure tightly concentrates the magnetism between the north and southern directions. The anisotropic properties opposing magnetic fields of a single direction can be described. Find out how magnet isotropy is studied on this blog.
Samarium Cobalt Magnet Temperature Coefficients
SmCo is famous for operating at greater temperatures than NfeB. A second important feature that favours SmCo is its lower temperature coefficients. The (BR) temperatures of SmCo magnets are less -1.01 - 0.35% /C. It is considerably smaller than the -0.11% / degree C of NdFeB. (br): remanence. More information is available on the magnet resonance website at this page. It is therefore likely that a SmCo magnet will lose fewer fields in the heat increase than NdFeB. It makes it much simpler for engineers to adjust temperature because the effect is smaller across large temperature ranges resulting from the change in the temperature coefficient.
What are SmCo magnets used for?
Samaria Cobalt Magnet Application. They are used widely and frequently in high-performance machinery and pumps in automotive and aerospace applications, aerospace and military machinery.
Safety Precautions for Samarium Cobalt Magnets
SmCo magnets are hard, brittle but strong. The screws can easily break when dropped. These items should be handled and packed properly for protection and not to cause any injury or damage to them.
Corrosion Resistance- SmCo vs Neodymium
SmCo magnetry is composed of about 70% cobalt. It's obvious that Cobalt is an important part of steel and it's easy to see why Smco magnetics are incredibly resistant to corrosion. Cobalt is the only natural element in nature ferromagnetic chemistry — except for iron and nickel. NdFeB magnetic fields contain approximately 65% iron. Iron has extremely low resistance against corrosion if no corrosion-repelling material is added. NdFeB normally uses about 0.7% copper for corrosion resistance, but there is just a tiny percentage in the SmCo magnets if the temperature increases the cobalt is low.
Samarium Cobalt Applications vs NdFeB
Both NdFeB magnets and SmCo magnets are permanent magnets with wide hysteresis loops, high coercivity, and high remanence, so they are widely used in many fields. Here are some application areas:
Electronics industry: hard drives, speakers, power tools, and other equipment.
Medical industry: MRI scanner.
Aerospace industry: aircraft engines and other equipment.
Automotive industry: electric vehicle motors and other equipment.
What is the difference between NdFeB and SmCo?
NdFeB has good magnetic properties, but has poor temperature stability and is easily affected by temperature. Samarium cobalt also has excellent magnetic properties and the best temperature characteristics. Compared with NdFeB, it is more suitable for high-temperature environments.
Although samarium cobalt is more expensive, due to its good stability, it is increasingly favored by air compressor manufacturers and has also received unanimous praise from customers. The maximum magnetic energy area of NdFeB is affected by the operating temperature. For example, to reach the maximum operating temperature of 200°C, current sintering technology can only reach the maximum magnetic energy product of 38MGOe.
Which is better neodymium or samarium cobalt magnets?
SmCo has unique capabilities, especially higher energy density and higher temperatures. Maximum temperature of samararium cobalt is 2x neodymium boron. The SmCo flux outputs are considerably at lower temperatures in high temperatures so that device performance can be really optimized.
How strong are SmCo magnets?
SmCo magnets are hard, very fragile & strong magnets with the highest magnetic properties and strength. They can be broken if dropped or pushed together. Therefore, this material is very difficult to handle and pack to prevent damage to the corresponding magnet.
What are the grades of SmCo magnets?
Samarcobalt magnets have high magnetic strength with a maximum BHmax of up to 30 mg/m2. The stronger the magnet, the larger the number. Samarium cadmium magnets can have 16-18 mm diameters.
Conclusion:
NdFeB and SmCo magnets are both ideal solutions for various magnetic applications. NdFeB magnets are known for their high magnetic strength, while SmCo magnets are recognized for their excellent resistance to corrosion and high temperature. These magnets have proven to be reliable and efficient in a range of industries, including automotive, electronics, and renewable energy. With advancements in technology, these magnets continue to evolve and become even more versatile. Overall, NdFeB and SmCo magnets are excellent choices for any project that requires a powerful and durable magnetic solution.