Just bumped into a news item on Audioxpress about a potential new material for loudspeakers magnets.
It's called Niron and it sounds like it's less expensive, more sustainable as well as less constrained than Neodymium.
https://audioxpress.com/article/next-generation-rare-earth-free-magnets-are-coming
Of all the news lately around loudspeaker development, I can only hope that his will actually prove what it claims and eventually will catch on as well.
Hoping that speaker prices will go down as well and this new technology isn't being used to overprice products instead.
It's called Niron and it sounds like it's less expensive, more sustainable as well as less constrained than Neodymium.
https://audioxpress.com/article/next-generation-rare-earth-free-magnets-are-coming
Of all the news lately around loudspeaker development, I can only hope that his will actually prove what it claims and eventually will catch on as well.
Hoping that speaker prices will go down as well and this new technology isn't being used to overprice products instead.
In my opinion, FeN appears to be well-placed to strongly influence the future of not only loudspeakers, but the entire electrical / automation / traction industry, as a lot of electric vehicles are expected to appear in the coming decades, with continuous improvements in battery technology. Though the synchronous reluctance (SynRM) motor is being increasingly specified in place of PMSM / IM, Tesla (and possibly others) are still using (only) the magnet-assisted versions, due to the limited overload torque capability of SynRMs.
In general, two elements seem to dictate the future : Lithium (storage) and Neodymium (traction). However, with the entry of FeN, there's going to be some relief, at least in the magnetics segment.
BTW, Neodymium is also known to exist in the Australasian plate , but China seems to be the largest producer / exporter.
In general, two elements seem to dictate the future : Lithium (storage) and Neodymium (traction). However, with the entry of FeN, there's going to be some relief, at least in the magnetics segment.
BTW, Neodymium is also known to exist in the Australasian plate , but China seems to be the largest producer / exporter.
Being a speaker maker was instantly attracted to your post, thanks for it, magnets are essential parts and any good news in that front is most welcome.
Not as strong as rare earth materials but stronger than ferrite is a step in the right direction and being cheaper is the strawberry on the cake 🙂
Not needing strategic materials (literally) which to boot come mainly from a single source (China) certainly adds peace of mind, I still remember when the Cobalt crisis all but destroyed worldwide Alnico production and forced substitution with humble, low performing Ferrite.
Price went from $18/kg to $99/kg in only 7 Months and that for raw material 😱 (and that in 1978 USD) and we might very well have a similar rare earth minerals problem any day of the week.
I have 2 doubts about Niron:
1) it´s known to be a highly magnetizable material, hence its use in ferrofluids, that is well established; but to make permanent magnets we need high Br, high remanence (what makes it permanent) and Niron shows NO data or curves about that which is weird.
All we have is their word that even if weaker, it´s comparable to Rare Earth ones, specially at high temperatures (which is essential in a hard working electric motor) and supposedly it´s stronger than Ferrites, but "no numbers are mentioned" Weird.
2) All we know comes from a single source: Niron themselves, who are rising Capital for a new venture.
Not bad by itself, but I would LOVE to see independent confirmation; specially some paper(s) in peer reviewed Scientific press.
There are some, but again: about Iron Nitride as a magnetizable compound, none about a permanent magnet use.
Thinking that such a use would be a Tsunami in the Industry, permanent magnets are 1000000 times more used than ferrofluid.
Neither found any patent about it.
Let´s hope for the best.
PS: the only Iron Nitride I know (and have used) is in the surface hardening of steel punching and stamping dies, and know it´s also used to surface harden drill bits, some lathe tools and firearms parts, not sure if it´s the same thing.
Time will tell, just praying it´s not just a Financial thing loosely based on some "technomagic" babble.
Not as strong as rare earth materials but stronger than ferrite is a step in the right direction and being cheaper is the strawberry on the cake 🙂
Not needing strategic materials (literally) which to boot come mainly from a single source (China) certainly adds peace of mind, I still remember when the Cobalt crisis all but destroyed worldwide Alnico production and forced substitution with humble, low performing Ferrite.
Price went from $18/kg to $99/kg in only 7 Months and that for raw material 😱 (and that in 1978 USD) and we might very well have a similar rare earth minerals problem any day of the week.
I have 2 doubts about Niron:
1) it´s known to be a highly magnetizable material, hence its use in ferrofluids, that is well established; but to make permanent magnets we need high Br, high remanence (what makes it permanent) and Niron shows NO data or curves about that which is weird.
All we have is their word that even if weaker, it´s comparable to Rare Earth ones, specially at high temperatures (which is essential in a hard working electric motor) and supposedly it´s stronger than Ferrites, but "no numbers are mentioned" Weird.
2) All we know comes from a single source: Niron themselves, who are rising Capital for a new venture.
Not bad by itself, but I would LOVE to see independent confirmation; specially some paper(s) in peer reviewed Scientific press.
There are some, but again: about Iron Nitride as a magnetizable compound, none about a permanent magnet use.
Thinking that such a use would be a Tsunami in the Industry, permanent magnets are 1000000 times more used than ferrofluid.
Neither found any patent about it.
Let´s hope for the best.
PS: the only Iron Nitride I know (and have used) is in the surface hardening of steel punching and stamping dies, and know it´s also used to surface harden drill bits, some lathe tools and firearms parts, not sure if it´s the same thing.
Time will tell, just praying it´s not just a Financial thing loosely based on some "technomagic" babble.
Member
Joined 2009
Paid Member
https://www.startribune.com/a-new-i...na-for-ev-batteries-and-cell-phones/601163066
Niron has a factory in Minnesota. It says that the process to make a magnet takes days to weeks. I have no hopes that this material will be affordable anytime soon.
Given the lack of usable data provided by Niron I think it must have some fairly severe disadvantages. Some results can be found in a search though:
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=FeN+magnetization+curve&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images
Niron has a factory in Minnesota. It says that the process to make a magnet takes days to weeks. I have no hopes that this material will be affordable anytime soon.
Given the lack of usable data provided by Niron I think it must have some fairly severe disadvantages. Some results can be found in a search though:
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=FeN+magnetization+curve&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images
Quite a few countries have sizeable rare earth reserves, but China still does about 85% of the refining. Tighter environmental regulations and higher labor costs make it difficult for many other countries to compete at refining (from a strictly commercial standpoint).
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/rare-earth-elements-where-in-the-world-are-they/
"In the rare earth industry, China’s dominance has been no accident. Years of research and industrial policy helped the nation develop a superior position in the market, and now the country has the ability to control production and the global availability of these valuable metals.
This tight control of the supply of these important metals has the world searching for their own supplies. With the start of mining operations in other countries, China’s share of global production has fallen from 92% in 2010 to 58%< in 2020. However, China has a strong foothold in the supply chain and produced 85% of the world’s refined rare earths in 2020."
Last edited: