The History of Neodymium Magnets

History of Neodymium Magnets banner

The origin of the neodymium magnets dates back to 1885 when Carl Auer von Welsbach, an Austrian scientist and inventor, separated didymium into the new separate elements neodidymium (“new didymium”) and praseodidymium (“green didymium”).  In time, the element names would change to neodymium and praseodymium. Neodymium (Nd) is the fourth member of the lanthanide ‘rare-earth…

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Magnets and the Curie Temperature

Curie Temperature

The term “Curie temperature (Tc)” or “Curie point” gets frequently mentioned when discussing magnets and magnetic properties.  The Curie temperature relates to the maximum temperature a material can reach before losing its magnetic properties.  On reaching a magnetic material’s Curie temperature, the spontaneous magnetisation in the material drops to zero.  At this point, the material…

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Explaining Neodymium Magnet Strength

Neodymium Magnet Strength

Neodymium Rare Earth Magnets are the strongest commercially available permanent magnets in the world.  Originally invented by General Motors and Sumitomo Special Metals in the early 1980s, Neodymium Magnets are a key component in mobile phones, computers, wind turbines, and modern cars.  The list of applications is nearly endless. As the name suggests, the prime…

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Magnet Comparison: Neodymium and Samarium Cobalt Rare Earth Magnets

Battle of the Rare Earth Magnets

Neodymium Iron Boron NdFeB (i.e. Neodymium) and Samarium Cobalt SmCo are both ultra-strong rare-earth permanent magnets.  Both are brittle in nature and subject to catastrophic damage if subject to severe impact (i.e. dropping).  However, that is where the similarity ends and, when selecting a magnet material for a specific application, our design engineers assess each…

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Can You Block a Magnetic Field?

Can you block a magnetic field?

A common question asked by users of Magnets, Magnet Assemblies, and Magnetic Separators is whether a Magnetic Field can be blocked in the same way that lead blocks radiation.  This can be an important issue when considering the location of a Magnet and Magnetic Product and whether it is near instrumentation, control panels, or is…

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Magneto Embraces Magnetic Power

Magneto Embraces Magnetic Power

The dastardly villain Magneto is the arch enemy of the X Men, as portrayed in the Marvel comics and the series of blockbuster movies.  This is a anti-hero who has harnessed the power of magnetism with an ability to generate and control magnetic fields.  But does this reflect reality in any way? Controlling magnetic fields…

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