Magnetic properties of soft magnetic FeSi composite powder cores

Abstract

Soft magnetic composites (SMCs), which are used in electromagnetic applications, can be described as ferromagnetic powder particles surrounded by an electrical insulating film. These composite materials offer several advantages over traditional laminated steel cores such as reduction in weight and size. They have some unique properties, including three-dimensional isotropic ferromagnetic behaviour, very low eddy current loss, relatively low total core loss at medium and high frequencies, high electrical resistivity and good relative magnetic permeability. FeSi powder was used as a base ferromagnetic material for preparation of soft magnetic composites. The commercial FeSi particles of a precise spherical shape were prepared in two granulometric fractions (up to 150 μm or up to 356 μm). The phenol-formaldehyde resin modified by SiO2 nanoparticles was used as an electroinsulating layer. The FeSi particles covered by the synthesized resin were compacted at 800 MPa into the ring samples for magnetic measurements. The final samples were treated thermally under the curing schedule, which was suggested according to thermal degradation of the modified resin.