There are three elemental metals that are magnetic: Compounds and alloys can also be magnetic if they contain iron, cobalt or nickel. Common magnetic alloys include: A magnetic metal, when magnetized, produces a magnetic field. Metals that can be magnetized are described as “ferromagneticIn their natural state, these metals are not normally magnetic on their own, but are attracted to objects that produce magnetic fields. When they are magnetized, they become magnets themselves. When working with any metal, it is important to know if it is ferromagnetic. Sometimes the ferromagnetic properties of an alloy, such as steel, are incredibly useful in attracting or repelling other materials. However, if you want to avoid applying unnecessary magnetic forces to your materials, you can avoid ferromagnetic metals in your project.
What makes a metal magnetic?
If the crystalline structure of the atoms in a piece of metal is aligned so that all the atoms point in the same direction, that metal will be magnetic. In most materials, the atoms are not aligned in any particular pattern.
Only ferromagnetic materials can be magnetized. In their natural state, the atoms in ferromagnetic metals are usually not aligned but must be magnetized. When you magnetize a metal, you create one of three types of magnets:
- Permanent magnets
- Temporary magnets
- Electromagnets
A permanent magnet is a metal whose crystalline structure is permanently realigned. A temporary magnet is a metal that only creates a magnetic field under certain conditions.
An electromagnet is made by wrapping a wire around a ferromagnetic material and passing an electric current through it. This type of magnet only produces a magnetic field as long as the electricity is running. This relationship also runs in both directions. By moving a magnet through a coiled wire, you can create an electric current.
Many common metals such as aluminum, copper, brass, gold, silver, titanium, tungsten and lead are not ferromagnetic. They cannot be turned into magnets and are not attracted to magnetic fields.
Are magnetic metals stronger than non-magnetic metals?
The magnetic properties of a metal have no bearing on itpoweror weakness of that metal. Some ferromagnetic metals, such as steel, are among the strongest.RelativelyOther strong metals, such as titanium, are not ferromagnetic.
There is also a whole category of magnets called "soft" magnets. These are often made of annealed iron or steel that has been physically or chemically altered to reduce their hardness. And many of the softest metals we know, such as lead, gold and tin, are not ferromagnetic.
Can metal detectors detect non-magnetic metals?
Metal detectors detect non-magnetic metals such as gold, silver, copper and tin. Only ferromagnetic materials such as iron, cobalt and nickel are attracted to magnetic fields strong enough to be truly considered magnetic. But all metals can be placed into one of three categories:
- Ferromagnetic
- Paramagnetic
- Diamagnetic
Paramagnetic and diamagnetic metals have very weak interactions with magnetic fields that cannot be perceived by normal human senses, but can be detected using metal detectors.
Examples of ways to use magnetic metals
The potential applications of magnetic metals are endless. These immensely versatile materials are embedded somewhere in almost every facet of our daily lives.
Magnets can be used for:
- Temporary mounting of objects on other ferromagnetic material
- Make a compass
- Construction of speakers and microphones
- Recording data, video or audio to tape or other magnetic data storage systems such as hard drives
- Toys
- Pickups on electric guitars
- Magnetic strips on credit cards, debit cards and other bank cards
- Electric motors
- Moving large pieces of scrap metal, such as cars
- Mag-lev trains (or "magnetic levitation")
- Generation of electricity
- MR scanning (MRI's)
When you consider that magnets can attract or repel each other depending on their orientation, and also that a magnet can also be used to generate electricity when used with a conductive wire, the possibilities are truly endless.
How does magnetization affect prices?
Because ferromagnetic metals with magnetic properties have these properties due to their atomic and chemical structures, there are no additional costs associated with their pricing. A sheet of ferromagnetic stainless steel will always be ferromagnetic due to its nature.
However, if you are looking for a permanent magnet, this will likely affect prices. Because permanently magnetizing a piece of metal involves additional processing and labor, these materials will often be more expensive than their non-magnetized counterparts.
Mead metals can help
If you need magnetic metal for any project, Mead Metals is here to help. Our niche is high quality, low volume, specialty metals and we want to work with you! Get started on your project atask for a quick quoteToday.
