Can a Neodymium Magnet be used as an electromagnet?

In summary, Neodymium Magnets can be used as an electromagnetic magnet, but they have some drawbacks. They require current to work and are more powerful when concentrated.
  • #1
jonymasterchf
2
0
Hi,
I would like to know if Neodymium Magnets can be used as an electromagnetic magnet. The idea is to get a Neodymium Magnet and add DC voltage to do the Gauss Law.
The college project is make a very powerful electromagnet, so I thought adding the most powerfull magnet and the some DC voltage would be able to make a very strong electromagnet.

Please correct me if I am wrong, I've been reading about the cautions of using Neodymium Magnets and also that they have 4 poles, so that is what confuses me.
 
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  • #2
How do you want to "add DC voltage"? With a coil around the magnet? If that gives a stronger magnetic field, you don't need the magnet. If not, it is not an electromagnet.

I've been reading about the cautions of using Neodymium Magnets and also that they have 4 poles, so that is what confuses me.
Depends on the magnet.
 
  • #3
mfb said:
How do you want to "add DC voltage"? With a coil around the magnet? If that gives a stronger magnetic field, you don't need the magnet. If not, it is not an electromagnet.


Depends on the magnet.

But wouldn't be more powerful? Could you control the magnet field? Like turn it on and off.
 
  • #4
It is a permanent magnet - if your applied external field is very strong and in the opposite direction, you can remove its magnetization, but then there is no point in using neodym magnets (its magnetic field won't come back on its own).
 
  • #5
mfb said:
It is a permanent magnet - if your applied external field is very strong and in the opposite direction, you can remove its magnetization, but then there is no point in using neodym magnets (its magnetic field won't come back on its own).

This. Steel cores are used because they have very low remanence and coercivity. NdFeB magnets would need very high energy to demagnetise.
 
  • #6
jonymasterchf said:
...Neodymium Magnets and also that they have 4 poles...

A 4 pole magnet?

I have 385 neodymium magnets. They are all of the two pole variety.

I suppose it is possible to make a 4 pole solid magnet, but I think it would be much easier to just glue them together.
 
  • #7
The field added by an extra current would have the direction that makes the permanent magnet, hence no risk to de-magnetize it. But it has serious drawbacks:

- Polar pieces have an induction at saturation around 2T (1.9T for transformer laminations, 2.1T for pure iron, 2.3T for expensive iron-cobalt). Up to this induction, you consume current only to jump over the air gap, but very little to close the magnetic path through the iron.

- Nd magnets give some 1.1T with no added current, but between 1.1T and 2T they act essentially as an air gap. Their thickness is much more difficult to bridge through amps*turns than the same thickness of iron.

- So you would need to concentrate the flux of the permanent magnets to make sense, and use no current at all. Nd gives the best effect at 0.6T hence you can triple the induction in the iron core, by letting several magnets converge to the assembly's pole.

- But then you get a huge permanent magnet, something really dangerous - more so than an electromagnet that you can switch off.

By the way, I understood "produce a strong induction in a significant experiment volume". If your aim is "attract heavy iron parts" the task looks different.
 

1. Can a neodymium magnet be magnetized to act as an electromagnet?

Yes, a neodymium magnet can be magnetized to act as an electromagnet. This is achieved by passing an electric current through a wire wrapped around the magnet, creating a magnetic field.

2. What are the advantages of using a neodymium magnet as an electromagnet?

The main advantage of using a neodymium magnet as an electromagnet is its strong magnetic field. Neodymium magnets are one of the strongest permanent magnets available, making them ideal for creating powerful electromagnets. They also have a high resistance to demagnetization, allowing them to maintain their magnetism for a long time.

3. How is the strength of an electromagnet made from a neodymium magnet determined?

The strength of an electromagnet made from a neodymium magnet is determined by several factors including the strength of the neodymium magnet itself, the number of wire turns around the magnet, and the amount of electric current passing through the wire. The more wire turns and the higher the electric current, the stronger the electromagnet will be.

4. Are there any limitations to using a neodymium magnet as an electromagnet?

One limitation of using a neodymium magnet as an electromagnet is that it can only maintain its magnetism as long as the electric current is flowing through the wire. Once the current is turned off, the magnetism will also disappear. Additionally, neodymium magnets are not suitable for high-temperature environments, as they can lose their magnetism at high temperatures.

5. Can a neodymium magnet be used as a permanent electromagnet?

No, a neodymium magnet cannot be used as a permanent electromagnet. A permanent electromagnet requires a continuous flow of electricity to maintain its magnetism, which is not possible with a neodymium magnet. However, a neodymium magnet can be used to make a powerful electromagnet when electricity is passed through a wire wrapped around it.

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