Here’s How Long a Ferrite Magnet Lasts! Get The Facts Here!

When I was reading about ferrite magnets recently, I started to wonder how long one of these magnets will really last. So, I did some more research on the topic to get all the facts together on the longevity of ferrite magnets.

How long does a ferrite magnet last? Ferrite magnets can last for several years if it is properly used and cared for. Since ferrite magnets are permanent magnets, they will only lose less than 10 percent of their magnetism every 100 years.

Ferrite magnets, also known as permanent magnets, are made of a combination of iron oxide and at least one other metal. With their extremely strong and durable qualities, they can hold up in almost any circumstance. Keep reading to find out how long ferrite magnets really last.

How Long Does a Ferrite Magnet Last?

When it comes to how long a ferrite magnet lasts, the fact that they are referred to as “permanent magnets” might already answer this question for us.

Due to all of the extremely strong materials that make up these types of magnets, which we will get into in the next few sections, they can almost last forever.

The amount of time that a ferrite magnet lasts will depend on a variety of factors, which are listed briefly below.

Factors That Affect Lifetime Of a Ferrite Magnet:

How frequently they are used
How they are cared for
The type of magnet

Although these magnets are called permanent magnets, their lifetimes will depend on how frequently they are used, as well as how they are cared for.

Just like almost any other object, the amount of time a ferrite magnet is used throughout its lifetime will have a significant effect on how long it will last.

The different types of permanent and ferrite magnets will be discussed in later sections, to give you a better understanding of how these magnets are able to exhibit such strength.

Types Of Permanent Magnets

Under the category of permanent magnets, there are a few more specific types of magnets. Including ferrite magnets, the objects on this list can be made of several different chemical materials.

This list will give you a general idea of what kinds of permanent, or ferrite, magnets exist, or you can keep reading for a little more detail on the topic.

Types Of Permanent Magnets:

Neodymium Magnets (neodymium, iron, and boron - NdFeb)
Samarium Cobalt Magnets (samarium, cobalt, iron, copper, etc. - SrO.6Fe2O3)
Ferrite Magnets

The first type of permanent magnet s called a Neodymium magnet. Just like the name suggests, the main chemical ingredient in this category of magnet is neodymium. Also including iron and boron, the chemical makeup is referred to as NdFeb.

Samarium Cobalt magnets, on the other hand, are made up of samarium and cobalt chemicals mostly. However, they do include iron, copper, and various traces of other elements to make up the body of the magnet. This chemical makeup has a slightly longer abbreviation and is known as SrO.6Fe2O3.

The last type of permanent magnet is, of course, ferrite magnets, which is the topic of discussion today. To get more details on what ferrite magnets are made up of specifically, keep reading to the next section.

This will give you a better idea of what ferrite magnets are made of, as well as what makes them last so long.

What Are Ferrite Magnets Made Of?

After hearing about all the wonderful properties that come with ferrite magnets, you might be curious to find out what these types of magnets are made of. During my research, I asked myself the same question and came up with a list that consists of the makeup of a ferrite magnet.

What Ferrite Magnets Are Made Of:

Chemical Compound Ferrite
Chemical Composition SrO6(Fe2O3)
90 percent iron oxide
10 percent strontium carbonate

First of all, ferrite magnets are made up of a chemical compound called ferrite. The properties in this mixture of chemicals make these kinds of magnets considered permanent.

To be more specific about the chemical compound that makes up most ferrite magnets, it is referred to as the chemical composition SrO6(Fe2O3).

In simpler terms, this is basically a mixture of the chemical elements iron oxide and strontium carbonate. Made up mostly of iron oxide, this element accounts for about 90 percent of the entire makeup of the magnet.

The strontium carbonate, on the other hand, will only make up around 10 percent of the average ferrite magnet.

Permanent Magnet Vs Electromagnet

While researching the topic of the longevity of a ferrite magnet, I couldn’t help but notice that I had never heard the term “permanent magnet” before I became interested in the subject.

However, I had heard of an electromagnet, so naturally, I started to wonder what the difference is between permanent magnets and electromagnets.

Take a look at the shortlists down below for a brief analysis of the comparison between permanent magnets, like ferrite magnets, and the electromagnets that you might have heard of before.

Permanent Magnet:

Made of various chemicals with different properties
Includes neodymium, samarium cobalt, and ferrite magnets
Produces its own magnetic field
All chemical components have their own magnetic properties

Electromagnet:

Magnetic properties produced by electric current
Materials are not already magnetic
Consists of copper wire turns “solenoid”
The magnetic field created when electric current flows through solenoids
Iron core attracts magnetism - non-magnetic without it

One of the main differences between permanent magnets and electromagnets are the magnetic properties that they already possess, and how they gain their magnetic pull.

Permanent magnets, including ferrite magnets, are made up of various chemicals that have different properties. However, the common thread between all of these elements is that they already have their own magnetic characteristics.

In other words, permanent magnets do not require any kind of additional action to be able to produce a magnetic pull. Electromagnets, on the other hand, need to experience an electric current to be able to attract things with a magnetic pull.

To be more specific, electromagnets consist of copper wire turns inside of the magnet, also known as solenoids. The magnetic field is created only when an electric current flows through these coils of copper.

So, if there is no electric current that is flowing through these elements of the electromagnet, it will have no pull at all. Permanent magnets do not experience this issue at all, due to the fact that the metals and other elements that make up the object are magnetic all by themselves.

This is part of the reason why permanent magnets, such as ferrite magnets, are so strong and able to last so long. Due to the fact that every single material that is located inside of the magnet itself is able to pull other objects toward it, there is no reason for the magnetism to run out prematurely.

Whereas electromagnets are not able to produce a magnetic field in the absence of some kind of electric current, which makes them more inclined to die out. This is because they depend on other events to be able to have any kind of magnetic pull.

In conclusion, permanent magnets, and more specifically, ferrite magnets, have an extremely strong and durable pull, due to all of the chemical elements that they are made up of.

The added strength of every single element within the objects makes them one of the strongest magnets that exist on the earth, which is why they are so commonly referred to as “permanent magnets”.

With the strength that exists within these objects and the number of years that they can last, the possibilities of what you can do with a ferrite magnet are virtually endless.