Mu-metal question

[Njguy]

This question may be a little bit difficult to answer, but would mu-metal, make a good electromagnet core? I know it has a super magnetic permeability, but it's also used for magnetic shielding. Not saying that I have plans on using this metal, but I would really like to know.

 

[jpanhalt]

From Wikipedia:

Mu-metal can have relative permeabilities of 80,000-100,000 compared to several thousand for ordinary steel. In addition it has low coercivity and magnetostriction resulting in low hysteresis loss. Its magnetic properties are no better than other high permeability alloys such as Permalloy, but it is more ductile and workable.[1]

Go to Wikipedia for the reference.

John

 

[Njguy]

From Wikipedia:


Go to Wikipedia for the reference.

John

Yes I have read that, but its not very detailed and doesn't answer my question.

 

[dknguyen]

What are you talking about? Sure it answers your question. If you did some research on Permalloy to find out if it makes good cores and you know Mu-Metal is comparable then they either both make good cores or bad cores.

 

[Njguy]

Alright, so I got the simple answer I was looking for from **broken link removed**

So I'm assuming its superior to say an iron core.

 

[dknguyen]

If logic says that if A is no better than B, and B is way better than C than A is way better than C, then that would be what the wiki entry supplied by jpanhalt is saying.

 

[dknguyen]

This question may be a little bit difficult to answer, but would mu-metal, make a good electromagnet core? I know it has a super magnetic permeability, but it's also used for magnetic shielding.

Magnetic shielding and magnetic cores rely on the same magnetic properties so you shouldn't be getting overly confusing thoughts as to why Mu-metal might be good for shielding but no good for cores (as far as magnetic properties are concerned). It's probably just not used for cores since ductility is not as important with cores as it is with shielding. Permalloy (and other NiFe purpose-designed alloys) are just as permeable and cheaper since that last 5% is nickel instead of molybdenum which is about 1/3 the cost.

 

[crutschow]

I believe mu-metal saturates at a relatively low level so it would not make a particularly good electromagnet.