Samarium Cobalt Magnet (SmCo) is an alternative rare earth magnet material to Neodymium Iron Boron (NdFeB), with higher temperature tolerance and greater coercivity

High Performance Samarium Cobalt Magnet

Samarium Cobalt Magnet (SmCo) is an alternative rare earth magnet material to Neodymium Iron Boron (NdFeB), with higher temperature tolerance and greater coercivity. SmCo magnets are particularly suited for applications requiring higher coercivity and temperature resistance, such as sensing applications or higher coercivity applications at cryogenic or very hot temperatures; their temperature coefficients make them excellent temperature sensing choices and they're resistant to demagnetization compared with NdFeB magnets which require much higher coercivity.

SmCo magnets provide strong yet cost-effective magnetic solutions in numerous fields, particularly medical and industrial. SmCo 34 grade magnets from Electron Energy Corporation offer outstanding magnetic performance across a wide temperature range and our complete selection of SmCo grades covers cost-effective 1- 5 up to the more efficient 2:17 grades to meet any application need.

Samarium cobalt magnets may not be as strong as their neodymium counterparts, but their high temperature performance and corrosion-resistance make them suitable for high performance applications in diverse environments where magnetic properties must remain consistent as temperature shifts occur. As a result, these magnets make an excellent addition for applications which demand consistent magnetic properties under varied temperatures conditions.

The primary samarium cobalt grades can be distinguished by their ratio of samarium to cobalt; 1-5 grades have one atom of samarium for every five cobalt atoms, while more modern 2-17 types contain one samarium atom per seven cobalt atoms - these newer grades offer greater energy output and have higher maximum operating temperatures than older types. For most applications, 2-17 is generally preferred over older grades for its superior energy product and maximum operating temperature capabilities compared to its predecessors.

Not only are 2-17 grades associated with higher operating temperatures, they also boast improved energy density due to having more intrinsic coercivity than their older counterparts - meaning increased magnetic output efficiency; higher coercivity means stronger magnets for given sizes.

Samarium cobalt can be difficult to work with due to its brittle nature, making its production not straightforward. To produce desired shapes and sizes, its powder must first be compressed into plastics or other non-ferromagnetic forms before being sintered together using high temperatures and high pressures, creating strong magnets for use as the final products.

Samarium cobalt, being particularly susceptible to heat, must be machined with care. Abrasion grinding can be performed, though liberal amounts of coolant should be used during the machining process in order to avoid heat fracturing and fires caused by oxidized grinding dust. Although complex and time consuming, the final magnets produced are long-lasting; for instance, this material allows near net shaping without losing magnetism unlike materials such as Neodymium Iron Boron which cannot.