Magnetic Materials : Properties, Working, Types, Differences & Their Applications

There are different types of materials & also substances that are made up of charged particles: like; electrons and protons. These materials can show some kind of magnetic properties when they are magnetized by an external magnetic field which is known as magnetic materials. These materials have induced or permanent magnetic moments in the magnetic field. To study these materials’ magnetic properties, usually, the material is located in a standardized magnetic field, then the magnetic field is changed. In modern technology, these materials play a key role and these are significant components for transformers, motors, and generators. This article provides brief information on magnetic materials.

What are Magnetic Materials?

The materials which are magnetized to an externally applied magnetic field are known as magnetic materials. 

These substances also obtain magnetization whenever they are attracted to the magnet. Examples of these 

materials are; Iron, Cobalt & Nickle.

These materials are categorized into magnetically hard (or) magnetically soft materials.

Magnetically hard materials are magnetized through a very strong external magnetic field 

which is generated by an electromagnet. These materials are mainly used for creating permanent magnets 

which are made from alloys usually consisting of changeable amounts of iron, nickel, aluminum, cobalt &

 rare earth elements like samarium, neodymium & dysprosium.

Magnetically soft materials are very easily magnetized although the induced magnetism is temporary. 

For instance, if you stroke a permanent magnet with a screwdriver or nail, then it will become magnetized 

temporarily & will generate its weak magnetic field because a large number of iron atoms are aligned 

temporarily in a similar direction through the external magnetic field.

Properties

Magnetic material properties are one of the most fundamental concepts of physics. So, the properties mainly

 include; paramagnetism, ferromagnetism, and antiferromagnetism which are discussed below.

Paramagnetism is a type of magnetism where some materials are attracted weakly by a magnetic field that

 is applied externally. It forms internal and induced magnetic fields within the applied magnetic field’s direction. 

In paramagnetism, the unpaired electrons are arranged randomly.

Ferromagnetism is a phenomenon where a material like iron becomes magnetized & remains magnetized within 

an external magnetic field for that stage. In ferromagnetism, the unpaired electrons are all connected.

Antiferromagnetism is a kind of magnetic order that mainly occurs whenever the adjacent atoms’ (or) ions’

 magnetic moments align in reverse directions and results in zero net magnetic moments. So this behavior is 

mainly because of the exchange interaction between neighboring ions or atoms, which helps antiparallel alignment

 for reducing the energy of the system. Usually, Antiferromagnetic materials exhibit magnetic ordering under a 

specific temperature known as; Néel temperature. The material over this temperature will become paramagnetic

 and it loses its  properties.