Which Non-Magnetic Material is Best for a Magnet Case?

[Wayne Johnson]

Hi... I'm making a "magnet case" for very strong magnets. I'm wondering about what non-magnetic material to use that will allow the MOST amount of magnetism to flow through? My obvious choices are stainless steel, aluminum, Lexan, or wood---- which of these non-magnetic materials will be the most "invisible" to the magnet inside? Make sense? Thanks... :>)

 

[berkeman]

Hi... I'm making a "magnet case" for very strong magnets. I'm wondering about what non-magnetic material to use that will allow the MOST amount of magnetism to flow through? My obvious choices are stainless steel, aluminum, Lexan, or wood---- which of these non-magnetic materials will be the most "invisible" to the magnet inside? Make sense? Thanks... :>)

Welcome to the PF.

Steel is not a magnetic material? https://www.capitalsteel.net/news/blog/is-steel-magnetic

The choice of the material will likely depend on the application. Wood would be a bad choice most likely for an outdoor application. Can you say more about the application, and maybe upload a couple sketches of what you are wanting to make? Thanks.

 

[anorlunda]

The case should be non-conducting, such as lexan or wood.

 

[Wayne Johnson]

Thanks for your reply! So, would aluminum be the best choice? Isn't it completely non-conducting?

 

[anorlunda]

Thanks for your reply! So, would aluminum be the best choice? Isn't it completely non-conducting?

No no no. Aluminum conducts very well. Some wires are made of aluminum.

 

[Wayne Johnson]

So, let me get t his straight... Yes, I know aluminum is an excellent conductor of electricity, so is copper,
but both these metals are also completely non-magnetic. So, are you telling me these materials will somehow
grab the magnetism and scramble it / weaken it, even though they will let it pass through?

 

[anorlunda]

So, let me get t his straight... Yes, I know aluminum is an excellent conductor of electricity, so is copper,
but both these metals are also completely non-magnetic. So, are you telling me these materials will somehow
grab the magnetism and scramble it / weaken it, even though they will let it pass through?

Actually, I may have misspoken. A non-conductor block time varying magenetic field (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_cage) but you did not say if your magnet was constant or varying. For a constant magnetic field, all those materials will work.

 

[russ_watters]

Aluminum would probably work, but please note that when you place a magnet in the case you will temporarily induce a current and create an electromagnet. Enough to matter? I don't know.