Rare earth magnets are developed from some elements found in the Earth including cobalt, boron, and iron. These magnets were first developed in 1970s and 1980s. Comparatively these magnets are twice as strong as ordinary magnets in terms of their magnetic field. However, the disadvantage of these magnets is that they are very fragile and get oxidized very easily. For preventing oxidation of these magnets, they are generally coated with nickel or gold to form a protective layer on their surface.
Magnets are developed in the presence of electric field where all the electrons inside of a magnetic material align to match with the direction of electric field. Permanent magnets are generally used in applications today and include bar magnets and horse shoe magnets. Rare magnets are also permanent magnets. These magnets retain their magnetism for a long time and hence known as permanent magnets. Lodestone is a type of rock magnet which is very brittle. If proper care of these magnets is not taken and if they break, they may lose their magnetic strength because their magnetic field gets disrupted.
At first when rare earth magnets were first developed, they were expensive and difficult to find. However, they are being produced in large quantities and can be easily found in the market. Rare earth magnets are classified into two types: neodymium and samarium-cobalt.
Samarium cobalt magnet is not that expensive but is not as strong as neodymium. This magnet offers strong resistance to oxidation. On the other hand, presence of iron and boron in neodymium makes it magnetically stronger but it is prone to oxidation easily. Both of these magnets are coated with nickel, zinc, gold or epoxy resin for protection against oxidation. Rare Earth Magnets.
These magnets are used in speakers, hard drives and various cordless tools. Moreover, these magnets are also being used for making toys for kids and by model makers for creating models of airplanes and tanks. In the recent research it has been found that the magnets are capable of producing for industries and home use. These magnets are finding their use in various electronic devices and computer systems. These magnets have become vital part of the world that we all live in. their features make them simple the best as compared to ordinary magnets which tend to lose their magnetism very easily. However, you would have to exercise some care if you want to use them for a long time.
You can buy these magnets from various online stores depending on your budget and needs. There are various online retailers that sell these magnets at affordable prices. You just have to do some research and compare their prices before making any purchase. Internet is a huge market from anything to everything.
