Low Coercive Force Research Articles

Novel Magnetization State Control Method Utilizing d-Axis Current to Eliminate Unintentional Demagnetization of Low-Coercive Force PM for Variable Flux Memory Machine

Novel Magnetization State Control Method Utilizing <i>d</i>-Axis Current to Eliminate Unintentional Demagnetization of Low-Coercive Force PM for Variable Flux Memory Machine

Formation, thermal stability and soft magnetic properties of Fe-Co-B-Si amorphous alloys with ultrahigh saturation magnetic induction of 2.0 T

This paper studies the influence of metallic element composition on the formation ability, thermal stability and magnetic properties of melt-spun (Fe1-xCox)B15–19Si1 (x =0.2–0.4) amorphous alloy ribbons. The maximum metal concentration at which an amorphous phase is formed during melt spinning has been determined in conjunction with the metal content dependence of crystallization processes and crystallized phases. The amorphous (Fe0.8Co0.2)84B15Si1 alloy with the highest metal content in an optimally annealed state exhibits an extremely high saturation induction (MS) of 2.0 T, low coercive force of 7.6 A m−1, high effective permeability of 13500 at 1 kHz and low core losses of 5.5 W kg−1 at 100 mT and 19.7 W kg−1 at 200 mT at 10 kHz which have not been simultaneously obtained for all kinds of soft magnetic materials up to date. The replacement of Fe with Co significantly increases the Curie temperature of the amorphous phase, resulting in very high thermal stability of the high MS alloys. The combination of excellent soft magnetic properties with ultrahigh MS value makes them candidates for use in highly loaded high-speed electric motors capable of operating at temperatures up to 473 K.

Investigation of the over-load unintentional remagnetization effect in series hybrid magnet variable flux memory machine

Variable flux memory machines (VFMMs) have become a research hotspot due to their adjustable air-gap flux with the employment of low coercive force (LCF) permanent magnets (PMs). Series hybrid magnet VFMMs (SHM-VFMMs) utilizing series-magnetic-circuit high coercive force (HCF) and LCF PMs are extensively investigated due to their excellent unintentional demagnetization (UD) withstand capability. Nevertheless, the existing researches still focus on the UD of LCF PMs under heavy load operation, and the remagnetization issue remains unreported. Therefore, in this paper, the over-load unintentional remagnetization (UR) effect of the a dual-layer-SHM-VFMM (DLSHM-VFMM) is first revealed, and its mechanism is investigated and analyzed in depth based on finite element (FE) analyses. A DLSHM-VFMM prototype is manufactured and tested to verify the effectiveness of the theoretical analyses.

Development and comparison of double-stator memory machines with parallel hybrid magnets

PurposeThis paper aims to further develop stator permanent magnet (PM) type memory machines by providing generalized design guidelines for double-stator memory machines (DSMMs) with hybrid PMs. This paper discusses the design experience of DSMMs and presents a comparative study of radial magnetization (RM) and circumferential magnetization (CM) types.Design/methodology/approachIt begins with an introduction to RM and CM operating principles and magnetization mechanisms. Then, a comparative study is conducted for one of the RM-DSMM rotor pole pairs, inner and outer stator clamping angles and low coercive force PMs thickness. Finally, the two machines’ finite element simulation performance is compared. The validity of the proposed machine structure is demonstrated.FindingsIn this paper, the double-stator structure is extended to parallel hybrid PM memory machines, and two novel DSMMs with RM and CM configurations are proposed. Two types of DSMMs have PMs and magnetizing windings on the inner stator and armature windings on the outer stator. The main difference between the two is the arrangement of PMs on the inner stator.Originality/valueConventional stator PM memory machines have geometrical space conflicts between the PM and armature windings. The proposed double-stator structure can alleviate these conflicts and increase the torque density accordingly. In addition, this paper contributes to comparing the arrangement of hybrid PMs for DSMMs.

Comparative Study of Mechanical and Electrical Characteristics of High-Strength and Conventional Electrical Steel for EV Traction High-Speed Multilayer IPMSM Using Rare-Earth Free PM

In this article, the electrical and mechanical characteristics of multilayer interior permanent magnet synchronous motors (ML-IPMSMs) using ferrite permanent magnets (PMs) are compared when driven at high speeds with respect to the type of electrical steel. In high-speed operation, the mechanical and electrical characteristics of ML-IPMSMs vary depending on the number of PM layers, PM shape, number of bridges, and bridge thickness. Additionally, ferrite PMs have a lower coercive force than neodymium (Nd) PMs; therefore, irreversible demagnetization (ID) must be considered, and it is affected by the number of PM layers and PM shape of ML-IPMSMs. Thus, when designing a multilayer IPMSM using ferrite PMs for electric vehicle (EV) traction, all characteristics should be considered. Compared to conventional electrical steel (CES), high-strength electrical steel (HSES) offers advantages in mechanical properties, allowing for greater flexibility in ML shape. Consequently, it is possible to design a shape with improved electrical performance when compared to CES by adjusting the ML shape. In this article, all characteristics of each ML-IPMSM using HSES and CES are reviewed via finite element analysis (FEA), and the benefits of HSES applied motors for high-speed driving motors are presented. To verify the validity of the review content in this article, experiments are conducted on the manufactured motor, and FEA results are compared with the test results.

Synthesis and investigation of mixed Zn–Ni spinel nanoparticles for microwave applications

Nickel ferrite solid solutions remain one of the main materials for a whole range of applications, including microwave equipment and components, the requirements for parameters and homogeneity of materials are constantly increasing. In this work, Ni1–xZnxFe2O4 nanoparticles with an average diameter of 12.5 nm were successfully synthesized by the microwave-assisted urea method. The temperature of a single-phase product formation was 400 °C, which is lower compared to more common precipitation from aqueous solution methods or solid-state route. Ni1–xZnxFe2O4 materials demonstrate high saturation magnetization and low coercive force. The magnetization changes with increasing Zn concentration and reaches the maximum at x = 0.5. Also, the increase in zinc content leads to an increase in the lattice parameters. The average size of ferrite nanoparticles synthesized by the microwave-assisted urea method is smaller compared to ferrites synthesized earlier by the co-precipitation method. Also, lower treatment temperatures provide higher stoichiometry, and homogeneity of materials while magnetization difference is negligible. These research results provide a general and effective route to synthesize other nanostructures for a variety of microwave components.

FeCo-BN magnetic composite membrane prepared via an atomized aerosol process for electromagnetic wave absorption and thermal management

Soft magnetic materials with high magnetic flux density and low coercive force exhibit a significant reflection loss, generating effective electromagnetic waves (EMWs) in the S-band to K-band frequency range. However, the limited complex permeabilities of commonly available soft magnetic materials at higher frequencies restrict their EMW absorption bandwidth. Here, we present a new class of thin EMW absorbing composite membrane comprising shape-modulated soft magnetic FeCo and thermally conductive boron nitride (BN) particles. The designed chemical process facilitates a one-step synthesis of composites with diverse structures, including spheres, cubes, and hollows, without requiring any shape-controlling additives. The FeCo/BN composite membrane, which was only 1.5 mm thick, demonstrated enhanced permeability and effective impedance matching, resulting in a high reflection loss value of − 46.4 dB at 11.3 GHz. Furthermore, the incorporation of BN nanoparticles with thermal conductivity enabled the thermal dissipation of the absorbed EMW energy. This study comprehensively investigated the correlation between shape modulation and complex permeability, which can provide valuable insights for the development of advanced EMW-absorbing materials.

Magnetic properties of iron oxide nanoparticles in the matrix of potassium-aluminoborate glasses subject to thermoradiation treatment

The paper presents the results of investigations of the magnetic properties of glasses of the composition K2O · Al2O3 · B2O3 (KAB) with the addition of Fe2O3 2.0 and 3.0 wt.subjected to radiation treatment in 60∘C gamma field at dose rate of 236 R/s for 2 hours at room temperature and when samples are heated to 423 K. Both under radiation and thermoradiation exposure, the magnetic susceptibility of glasses follows the Curie–Weiss law at 4.2–200 K and slightly deviates from this dependence at 200–340 K. The weakly pronounced magnetic hysteresis with low coercive force was detected at low temperatures against the background of magnetization that depends almost linearly on the field. An analysis of data on the temperature and field dependences of magnetization in weak and strong fields, combined with data on structural and optical properties, indicates that mainly Fe2O3 nanoparticles in the uncompensated antiferromagnetic state are formed in glasses, as well as an insignificant amount of dissociated Fe and Fe3O4 ions.

Electromagnetic field detectors based on spintronics devices

The paper proposes a model of an electromagnetic radiation sensor that uses the precession of the magnetization vector in a ferromagnet (ferromagnetic resonance) as a result of absorbing the energy of an incident electromagnetic wave, the generation of a spin current as a result of this precession, the generation of a spin-polarized current as a result of the passage of a spin current in a non-magnetic metal, and a change in the direction of magnetization of a ferromagnetic layer with a low coercive force (free layer) due to the passage of a spin-polarized current. Then the radiation will be detected by its effect on the electrical resistance of the entire structure, which depends on the mutual directions (parallel or antiparallel) of magnetization of the free and fixed (with a large coercive force) ferromagnetic layers (phenomenon of giant magnetic resistance). The dependence of the spin-polarized current in the device on the frequency and amplitude of the incident electromagnetic wave with linear polarization was calculated. A method of calculating the range of amplitude and frequency values of radiation that can be detected by the sensor has been developed. The parameters of this model are the detection time and the number of spin gates in one sensor. Calculations are given for a ferromagnetic layer made of permalloy and for spin valves with four different critical current values that determine the process of remagnetization of the free layer: 20, 50, 100, and 200 microamps.

Investigation of Delta-Type Variable Flux Memory Machines Considering Magnetizing Current Limits

A simple delta-type interior-permanent magnet (PM) variable flux memory (VFM) machine exhibiting series-parallel magnetic coupling is investigated, and the limits of magnetizing current capacity are considered. The series-parallel coupled high coercive force (HCF) PMs and low coercive force (LCF) PMs integrate the merits of stable PM working point in series-type VFM machines with the high torque output in parallel-connected cases. Moreover, it is revealed that the iron bridges between the two kinds of the PMs play an essential role on magnetic coupling, de-/re-magnetization and torque capability. The VFM machines with wider iron bridges normally require higher magnetizing currents. The effects of the iron bridges are investigated based on the theoretical analysis and finite element methods. It is found that the narrower iron bridges contribute to the more significant series coupling and wider flux variation range, while the wider iron bridges sacrifice the flux variation but facilitate the torque improvement. A prototype machine is manufactured and the experiments are carried out to verify the investigations.

(Digital Presentation) Microstructure, Corrosion Resistance, and Magnetic Properties of Amorphous Alloy Co75Si15Fe5Cr4,5Al0,5 before and after Corrosion

Cobalt-based Amorphous Metal Alloys (AMA) can be used as soft magnetic materials in various magnetic devices due to the low value of the natural crystalline magnetic anisotropy. The addition of non-metallic components (Si, B) does not adversely affect the magnetic properties. On the contrary, AMA have high magnetic permeability at low values of coercive force and greater resistance to corrosion compared to crystalline ones.The required important parameters for corrosion description are: the concentration of chloride-ions, the microstructure (especially surface heterogeneity) and the composition of the oxide layer [1]. It was determined that the initial AMA Co75Si15Fe5Cr4.5Al0.5 possesses the low coercive force 0.38 A/m. The modification of the alloy surface with nanostructures by anodizing at different current densities (i) and times in the BmimBF4 ionic liquid (IL) does not affect the value of the coercive force, but its resistance to corrosion in a chloride solution increases. The coercive force increases after corrosion, which may be due to a change in surface morphology.The domain structures of the surface modified with nanostructures and initial alloys are different. After excerption at a constant (i) in IL, the domain structure of the surface consists of relatively large uniformly magnetized regions (Fig. 1a). The coercive force of the sample practically does not change compared to the initial sample.The surface domains after corrosion are broken into smaller ones, while the predominant orientation changes its direction (Fig.1 b). The change in the surface domain structure is accompanied by a significant increase in the coercive force (by a factor of 10), although the maximum magnetic permeability (the slope of the hysteresis loops) does not change.The EIS-tests (electrical impedance spectroscopy) were performed at -200 mV (Ag/AgCl) in the frequency range of 50,000 to 0.01 Hz and an oscillation amplitude of 20 mA in Ringer's solution (Fig.1 c, d) to compare the charge transfer kinetics for modified with nanostructures and initial samples. The simulated equivalent circuit included the values of the solution resistance Rs (22 Ω), the value of the constant phase element CPE associated with the double layer capacity, including the capacitance of the modified surface layer, and Rp is the charge transfer resistance across the interface. The capacity of the double layer is higher for the modified sample (4.28*10-5 Ohm-1*cN vs. 1.88*10-5 Ом-1*сN ) and the resistance value of the material has hardly changed (18000±13.5% Ohm for modified and 15500±3.5% Ohm for unmodified). The values of the phase angle (0.78 - modified and 0.88 - unmodified) indicate a greater heterogeneity of the charge distribution at the boundaries of the double layer for the modified surface of the alloy.So, surface modification affects the corrosion resistance, while it has little effect on the parameters of hysteresis loops, what is very important in practical applications. Nyby, C., Guo, X., Saal, J. E., Chien, S.-C., Gerard, A. Y., Ke, H., Frankel, G. S. (2021). Electrochemical metrics for corrosion resistant alloys. Scientific Data, 8(1).doi:10.1038/s41597-021-00840-y Figure 1

Affable thermal treatment process to overcome the trade-off relation via interface engineering in an Fe-based amorphous film

As pre-eminent soft magnetic materials, Fe-based amorphous alloys have been extensively studied due to adjustable composition, low cost, and low iron core loss. The soft magnetic properties could be further improved after thermal annealing, which achieve a low coercive force (Hc) due to the low magnetic anisotropy and a high saturation magnetic flux density (Bs) on account of the precipitation of soft magnetic nanocrystalline phases. However, it is a key difficulty to control the nucleation and growth procedures of nanocrystals during annealing, resulting in rapid deterioration of Hc. Here, a soft magnetic Fe76Si8B13Nb3 film with ultra-fine amorphous/crystalline (a/c) core–shell structure is achieved from an amorphous precursor with the nanoscale phase separation. The pre-existing nanoscale phase separation provides vast nucleation sites and interphase boundaries, which could generate high concentration of nanocrystals and depresses the subsequent coarsening behavior even for long-time heat treatment. In consequence, the a/c core–shell soft magnetic film breaks the general trade-off relation in the soft magnetic material family with the highest Bs and lowest Hc simultaneously. This work provides a new perspective to design a/c alloys by amorphous precursor with dual phase structure, and importantly, it supplies effortless thermal treatment requirement to conveniently regulate the microstructures and soft magnetic properties of metallic glasses.

Ultra-low core loss FeSiAl soft magnetic composites with in-situ double oxidation layers of outer Fe3O4 layer and inner super-thin Al2O3/SiO2 hybrid layer

How to synchronously reduce eddy current loss and hysteresis loss still remains a challenge for achieving low core loss of soft magnetic composite (SMC). In-situ surface oxide effectively combines the formation of insulating layer and the release of internal stress during the molding process. In this study, FeSiAl SMC has been fabricated by powder metallurgy method with in-situ oxidated FeSiAl powder, in which FeSiAl powder are covered by outer Fe3O4 insulating layer and inter super-thin Al2O3/SiO2 hybrid layer. Fe3O4 layer alleviates dilution magnetic effect, ensuring high saturated magnetization and effective permeability. The super-thin Al2O3/SiO2 hybrid layer enhances electrical resistance, reducing eddy loss. Effects of the in-situ oxidation time on insulating layer and soft magnetic performances of SMC are investigated in detail. Synchronous reduction of eddy current loss and hysteresis loss is achieved through high resistance accompanied with proper insulating layer thickness and low coercive force provided by the special microstructure. For powder with 90 min oxidation at 500 °C, core loss of SMC is low up to 64 mW/cm3 at 50 mT and 100 kHz and 363 mW/cm3 at 100 mT and 100 kHz, while the permeability is kept at 50 until 1100 kHz and is stable until 140 °C. Meanwhile, DC bias performance reaches 51.2% at 100 Oe applied field and Q value is 104.8 at 400 kHz.

(Fe-Ni)-based glassy alloy containing Nb and Cu with excellent soft magnetic properties

Magnetic properties of amorphous Fe38Ni38B12P5Si3Nb3Cu1 alloy ribbons have been investigated in as-spun and annealed states with the aim of developing an ultrasoft magnetic material which is expected to be used in advanced information data devices. A small amount of simultaneous addition of Cu and Nb to a FeNi-metalloid amorphous alloy system caused the change in crystallization process from eutectic type to the primary one. After annealing at the temperature just below the glass transition temperature (Tg), the glassy alloy ribbon exhibit excellent soft magnetic properties, very low coercive force of 1 A/m and extremely high effective permeability of 7.5·104 at 1 kHz which have not been obtained for any kinds of Fe- and Ni-based amorphous alloys, in spite of relatively low saturation magnetic flux density of 0.86 T. The further increase in annealing temperature causes the precipitation of nanoscale fcc particles with a size of about 7 nm including a high density of planar faults and the resulting nanostructure alloy also exhibits good soft magnetic properties with low Hc below 2 A/m. The formation of nanostructure fcc-(Fe,Ni) + glass soft magnetic alloys is also novel. The syntheses of the new Fe-Ni-based glassy and nanocrystalline [fcc(Fe,Ni) + glass] alloy ribbons with ultrasoft magnetic properties are encouraging as a new type of energy saving-type soft magnetic material.

Design to Reduce Cogging Torque and Irreversible Demagnetization in Traction Hybrid Motor Using Dy-free Magnet

The PMSM (Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor) is being studied a lot in traction motors for high efficiency and high performance. Usually, magnets containing rare earth elements are used. However, since rare earth elements are not suitable for future industries due to their limited reserves, many studies on magnets excluding rare earth elements are being conducted. Magnets excluding rare earth elements have a low coercive force and are vulnerable to irreversible demagnetization, so their design must be robust. Additionally, the design used for reducing the cogging torque, which is a major variable of traction motors, is also important. Therefore, in this study, a design process for reducing irreversible demagnetization and cogging torque is proposed. There are three methods for this process. The first one is the application of the tapering structure, and the second one is the tapering skew structure. The third one is the application of an asymmetric air hole. As a result of these methods, the target irreversible demagnetization ratio was satisfied and the cogging torque was reduced. This was proven through FEA (Finite Element Analysis) and verified by comparing and analyzing the experimental results and simulation results of actual manufacturing.

Hybrid-Magnet Variable Flux Memory Machine With Improved Field Regulation Capability for Electric Vehicle Applications

This article aims to investigate a novel hybrid-magnet variable flux memory machine (VFMM) with improved field regulation capability for electric vehicle applications. Two sets of permanent magnets (PMs), i.e., high-energy-density neodymium–iron–boron PM and low coercive force (LCF) PM, are arranged in a delta array to improve field regulation capability and torque density. The machine topology, key features, and operating principle of the presented machine are demonstrated. Based on the simplified magnetic circuit model, the underlying design tradeoffs of the presented machine are revealed qualitatively. The nonlinear magnetic circuit model of the presented machine taking saturation and hybrid-magnet leakage flux into consideration is built for machine analysis. Electromagnetic performance comparisons are carried out by finite element analysis between the presented VFMM and the existing VFMM. The results show that the presented machine can achieve significantly improved flux regulation capability while maintaining the high output torque due to the improved arrangement of hybrid magnetic branches and enhanced flux concentration effect. Finally, the investigated VFMM is prototyped. The operating principle and predicted results are verified by experimental results.

Thermal Modeling and Analysis of Hybrid-Magnetic-Circuit Variable Flux Memory Machine

Variable flux memory machine (VFMM) can be regarded as a promising candidate for electric vehicles (EVs) owing to its advantages of excellent flux adjustment capability and overall efficiency improvement over an extended operating range. However, the uncertain internal thermal behavior due to magnetization state (MS) change has an immense influence on electromagnetic performance of permanent magnet, which makes the precise MS estimation of low coercive force PM a challenging issue. To explore the benefits of MS manipulation on temperature rise reduction and provide an effective method to accurately evaluate temperature rise in VFMM, a magnetic-thermal coupling model of the newly developed hybrid-magnetic-circuit VFMM accounting for different MSs is established in this article. The lumped parameter thermal network (LPTN) model and computational fluid dynamics based finite-element (FE) method are employed to analyze the temperature characteristics, respectively. First, the losses of the investigated machine are calculated by adopting both the FE method and analytical equations. Afterward, the equivalent thermal resistances and heat transfer coefficients are determined by employing the LPTN model. Meanwhile, FE modeling is employed to analyze the three-dimensional thermal field distribution. Finally, a prototype machine is fabricated and experimentally measured, which can confirm the validity of the theoretical analyses.

Analysis of flux barrier effect of LCF PM in series hybrid magnet variable flux memory machine

Variable flux memory machines (VFMMs) with series hybrid magnets using both low coercive force (LCF) and high coercive force (HCF) permanent magnets (PMs) have been recognized as a viable candidate for wide-speed-range industrial applications due to the advantages of high torque density and wide speed range. Nevertheless, the adverse effects of LCF PM on the HCF PM in series-type VFMM under different magnetization states (MSs) are still unreported. In this paper, the flux barrier effect (FBE) of the LCF PM existing in series hybrid magnet VFMM is first revealed, and its causes are discussed as well as analyzed in depth on the basis of the equivalent magnetic circuit method and finite-element (FE) analyses. A topology of VFMM with dual-layer PMs is further developed to alleviate the FBE induced from LCF PMs. It can be found that the FBE can be effectively suppressed by employing the dual-layer (DL) PM arrangement and additional leakage flux paths. A prototype of the proposed design is built, and the theoretical and FE results are experimentally verified.

Irreversible Demagnetization Improvement Process of Hybrid Traction Motors with Dy-Free Magnets

Permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs), with their high power density, high efficiency, and thermal stability, are widely used nowadays. PMSM magnets are composed of rare earth elements. However, rare earth elements are subject to severe price fluctuations because of their limited availability and the monopoly of some countries. Therefore, extensive research on magnets devoid of rare earth elements has been conducted recently. Although a magnet devoid of rare earth elements has a high irreversible demagnetization rate at high temperatures owing to its low coercive force, an irreversible demagnetization improvement process is proposed in this paper to compensate for this disadvantage. This process analyzes the contribution of the magnet’s back EMF (electromotive force) using the flux linkage equation, which does not change with time. Next, the location of irreversible demagnetization is moved to a position with a low contribution to the back electromotive force. Consequently, even if irreversible demagnetization occurs at the same size, the irreversible demagnetization ratio is reduced. The proposed process can minimize irreversible demagnetization while maintaining performance.

Design and Analysis of a Series-Type Permanent Magnet Axial Flux-Switching Memory Machine

This paper presents a new topology of an axial flux-switching memory machine with series-type permanent magnets (SPMs) to improve the flux regulation capability. The key idea was to combine low coercive force (LCF) PMs, which can be magnetized and demagnetized readily, with high coercive force (HCF) PMs in series to provide a variable air-gap magnetic flux. The flux regulating principle and the forward magnetization effect of HCF PMs on LCF PMs are presented and discussed. Based on 3D finite element analysis (FEA), the magnetization variation of LCF PMs and the electromagnetic performances of the machine under different magnetization states were investigated. Simulation results showed that the air-gap magnetic flux could be weakened by up to 45% by using a magnetization current impulse, significantly extending the PM motor’s flux-weakening speed range. Finally, a prototype machine was built, and experiments were performed to validate the predictions. The basic experimental validation shows that the measured back-EMF and the flux regulating characteristic matched the 3D FEA results well.