Why Is Neodymium So Magnetic?

Neodymium magnets are often referred to as Super Magnets or Power Magnets. It is the strongest permanent magnet on the market. Here is the reason for, why it is so magnetic, and the potential of the power is unlimited.

Why is neodymium so magnetic? Neodymium is magnetic because it’s a ferromagnetic material. Magnetic means; capable of being magnetized or attracted by a magnet. Neodymium is a rare-earth material, and when it is made to an alloy with iron and boron, it becomes the most powerful magnet on the market.

That was a very short answer for why neodymium is so magnetic. So, if you need more details about, why neodymium is so magnetic, and why it is the strongest permanent magnet, keep on reading. We will try to come up with some suggestions of, how you can “take advantage” over the powerful magnets and use them correctly in your daily life.

Why is neodymium so magnetic?

Neodymium is a rare-earth metal, and it is also ferromagnetic. It means; that like iron, neodymium can be magnetized. It is not found naturally in a metallic form, and neodymium is always mixed with other lanthanides because it is very reactive.

We have written a lot about neodymium because we have a passion for strong magnets, but the chemical element Nd does not have the magnetic force before it’s refined.

Neodymium is the second most abundant on the rare-earth elements and it is found in lanthanide minerals. It is mixed with other elements, but it is not so rare, because it comes in very large quantities.

To become a strong magnet, neodymium is processed, usually in liquid form, together with iron and boron to form the NdFeB tetragonal crystalline structure. The alloy is composed of microcrystalline grain. They are being manufactured and magnetized, so their magnetic axes point in the same direction.

The pull strength a neodymium magnet can achieve is the strongest of the permanent magnets you can buy. It is so strong because it has a very high state of saturation, magnetization. So, the magnetic energy the combination of neodymium, iron, and boron can store, makes the alloy very magnetic.

The resistance of the crystal lattice to turn its direction of magnetization, results in coercivity and means, that Neodymium magnets are very hard to de-magnetize.

So don't worry about the danger of your super magnets losing their strength. Of course, it is possible, but in protected circumstances, a neodymium magnet will not lose any noticeable strength. Extreme heat and other very powerful magnets could demagnetize some of the strength, but if you use it in your daily life, this is not a thing you should worry about.

Neodymium magnets are often coated because of the material is not resistance to corrosion. If iron is exposed to moist air, it reacts with the oxygen to form rust. Therefore, you should worry about where you use neodymium magnets, but our biggest concern is your safety.

Warning - Safety tips for Power Magnets

Always read our safety tips before you buy neodymium magnets, even the small ones.

We often suggest and prefer Power Magnets, because of its strength and qualities, but never without caution. We have ‘gathered’ a lot of warnings, we recommend to read before buying any magnets at our store, or in general. See our safety tips for Power Magnets by clicking here.

Super Powers - Not only for heavy lifting

Well, let us start with the heavy lifting. The most power magnets we sell is due to the extra strength that keeps objects in the right place.

It is not only about size. The combination of the size, shape, and material makes a neodymium magnet very useful to lift heavy objects, but even a small one can lift many times its own weight.

Take a look at our Power Magnet, Block 60x30x15 mm in size. Already in this size, the magnet has strength on approximately 56 kg. It is only sent in parcels because it needs special packing. It has to be treated with caution as two colliding magnets will break into small pieces because of the strong magnetic field.

As Peter Parker's father once said: “With great powers come great responsibility”. Therefore, only buy magnets with this kind of strength if you know what you are doing.

Apart from being the strongest permanent magnet, neodymium magnets are also lighter and cheaper than other magnets, but neodymium was not discovered before 1885.

Not before many years later, in 1982 the neodymium magnet was invented. independently, it was in invented by two different teams. One was headed by Dr. Masato Sagawa of Sumitomo Special Metals and the other one was headed by Dr. John Croat of General Motors.

The automotive industry has always been quick with both standardization and inventions, and they were also some of the inventors behind the Super Magnet.

Besides heavy lifting, neodymium magnets are a part of modern vehicle components. The Power Magnet is used in hybrid and electric cars, and the magnets assist in creating a magnetic field that is induced by the coil.

-But as we stated at the beginning of the post: The potential power is unlimited.

What else can neodymium magnets be used for?

Beside heavy lifting and electric cars? Well, a lot of things.

In the next blog post, we will take a closer look on, why we use magnets in electronic devices. Because neodymium magnets are actually used to store data in computers. It is also used in loudspeakers, MRI scanners, jewelry manufacturing and also as magnetic therapy.

Besides all that, neodymium is used in coloring glasses, by being able to absorb the yellow sodium glare of the flame. That is the kind of glass that is used to protect the eyes of welders. It is also used to tint glass attractive shades of purple.

Wow! That was a lot of useful things to use Power Magnets for. And yeah, the potential of the power is unlimited and neodymium magnets can be used for so much more.

At MagnetPartner we mostly focus on the way to use magnets in everyday life. We started out with Magnetic pockets but quickly found out, that the use for Power Magnets was on demand for both private people, institutions, and companies.

We try to use our blog to inspire in ways, that our magnets can be used creatively in all three segments, and today’s DIY-project can be useful for all of them - If they have a kitchen sink.

DIY - The magnetic SpongeBob

Are you tired of smelly dish brushes or the never-ending struggle of finding a dish brush when you need it? We have made an easy life hack, a MacGyver, on how you can solve this problem easily.

First of all. You need a kitchen dish-sponge. Then all other tools you need is:

A rubber magnet (A neodymium magnet in a rubber shell) find it on this link

A scissor. (Photos of the process are available at our Danish DIY-blog, find it on this link)

All you need to do now is simply just to cut a little hole in the side of the sponge and put the waterproof rubber magnet inside of it.

Then you can attach the sponge on the side of the kitchen sink, and you will never lose it again, and it does not make a mess down in the sink, on the table or in the closet.

Very important: When you need to change your dish sponge, you can reuse the magnet again, and then you always have a cool DIY-sponge ready to use. It is cool, fast and cheap.

You can also make your dish brush magnetic, but that is more individual how the brush is shaped, and you have to find out another creative idea to solve that problem. Maybe you can use glue or self-adhesive magnets.

I hope you enjoyed reading today’s blog post. Remember, that we are always here to help with guidance for magnets and also DIY-projects.

For contact information, click here.