Rare Earth Magnets

Rare earth magnets are manufactured from various metals and formed into an alloy. These magnets were first made in 1970s and are still ruling the world as the strongest magnets available for use. They are three times stronger than the ceramic and ferrite magnets as far as their magnetic field is concerned. However, they are brittle, weak and can corrode easily. Moreover, they are plated and coated so as to avoid them from chipping or breaking.

Strength Factor


It is generally believed that these magnets are precious as they are very rarely available, which is not true. They are as cheap as tin or lead. Their strength was realized in 1966 when two of the US air Force scientists discovered their potential in a test. Elements of lanthanide series are easy to magnetize as they possess ferromagnetic properties. When these elements are in their pure form, they exhibit magnetic properties but at low temperatures. To enhance their ability to retain magnetism at higher temperatures than normal, these magnetic materials are mixed with iron, nickel and cobalt. Thus, they become more useful at elevated temperatures, which is generally requires when they are used in industries.

Neodymium

Created in 1980s, neodymium magnets are still the strongest and cheapest of all lanthanide magnets available. Iron, boron and neodymium is alloyed together to create a strong magnet. Neodymium magnets are used in various applications such as in audio devices and computer hard drives. These magnets are covered with a coating of another strong metal to prevent corrosion and decay to their surface. The protective covering on neodymium magnets can be of metals like gold, zinc, nickel, tin or even epoxy resin. Initial neodymium magnets were expensive and were only used for special applications. However, in the past 20 years or so, neodymium magnets have become cheap and readily available to the general public. Because of its low cost, neodymium is also being used in toys that are made for children.

Rare earth magnets come from rare alloy elements in the earth. These metals were formulated in the 1970's and are currently the strongest permanent magnets in the world, substantially more powerful than alnico or ferrite. Ceramic and ferrite magnets create fields from 0.5-1 tesla, while rare earth fields....

Hazards

There are some disadvantages of these magnets as well. As these magnets are very strong, physical injury can happen to a person that accidently comes between two of these magnets. The injury can be more severe depending on the size of the magnet. Bone fracture can also happen when handling two large sized magnets. The force of attraction of these magnets is directly proportional to their size and mass, which can be fatal for people in the vicinity as they can shatter with sprinkles spreading in high velocities in all directions. Moreover, when these magnets come in contact with other magnetic materials, they can be damaging. Credit cards, mobile phones and other electronic items should be kep away from their vicinity to avoid any damage.