Why are Neodymium Magnets the Strongest Magnets?

If you’ve read anything about magnets, you’ve probably seen the phrase repeated that “Neodymium Magnets are the Strongest in the World,” or “Neodymium Magnets are the Most Powerful Magnets in Existence.” But, if you’re unfamiliar with magnets, you may be wondering why? What makes neodymium magnets different from regular magnets, like the ones on my fridge? In this blog, we’ll give you some hard facts that explain why neo magnets are so powerful.

Neodymium Alloy

The first thing to know about neo magnets is that their primary material is neodymium, an element part of the “rare earth” family of elements. Neo magnets are not 100% neodymium—they are actually made from an alloy of neodymium, iron, and boron, forming the Nd₂Fe₁₄B tetragonal crystalline structure. This composition affects the magnetic properties of neo magnets.

Unique Magnetic Properties

Magnetic properties are certain traits used to compare permanent magnets to each other. Some of the most important magnetic properties are:

Remanence (B)—this measures the magnetic field’s strength.

Coercivity (H_ci )—this is the material’s resistance to becoming demagnetized

(Maximum) Energy product (BH_max)—this is the density of a permanent magnet’s magnetic energy. It is characterized by the maximum value of magnetic flux density (B) times magnetic field strength (H).

High Remanence

Neodymium magnets have high remanence, meaning their magnetic field has a very high strength. They also have a high coercivity, which means they are very resistant to becoming demagnetized. Neo magnets also have a very high energy product. The combination of all of these magnetic properties results in a magnet that delivers exceptional strength. To visualize this strength, the maximum energy product of a sintered neodymium magnet ranges from 200 to 400kJ/m³, whereas an Alnico (or ceramic) magnet has a maximum energy product ranging from just 10-88 kJ/m³. The difference in power is easy to see!

Advantages of Powerful Neodymium Magnets

Because neodymium magnets have such high strength, they have multiple advantages compared to other varieties of magnets, such as samarium cobalt magnets and ceramic magnets. Neo magnets can deliver a greater amount of strength in a much smaller package, making them ideal for use in applications such as magnetic sensors and switches. When scaled up to a larger size, neo magnets provide even more power, making them ideal for applications such as magnetic separation, where magnets must be powerful enough to pull out even the smallest particles of ferrous metal contamination from material such as food and plastics particles. Neo magnets are also an excellent choice for simple home improvement projects, as they deliver strength you can rely on for applications such as mounting hanging plants with neodymium hook magnets.

The intense power of neo magnets is a driving force in technology and innovation, and we are eager to see the new ways neodymium magnets will be used in the future. If you are interesting in harnessing the power of neo magnets for your industrial application, invention, or DIY project, contact us today to learn about selecting the best neodymium magnet for your needs.