Plastic-iron-powder distributed-air-gap magnetic material

The basic properties of a distributed-air-gap magnetic material for manufacture of inductor cores are described. A principal attraction of this material is easy fabrication of inductor cores either by injection molding or by machining of the bulk material. Iron powder and a nonmagnetic polymer binder are mixed to produce a distributed-air-gap material whose properties are a function of the relative proportions of iron powder and binder. Laboratory measurements of mass density, permeability, and saturation flux density for four different proportions of iron powder and binder are reported. Empirical analytical relationships for these properties as a function of the proportions of iron powder and binder are developed. Several applications for this material are demonstrated, and, based on the material properties, potential applications are suggested.<>