PERMANENT MAGNETS

Any ferromagnetic material, or substance whose atoms can be aligned permanently, can be made into a permanent magnet. These are the magnets you played with as a child (and maybe still play with when you use them to stick notes to your refrigerator door). Some alloys can be made into stronger permanent magnets than others.
One alloy that is especially suited to making strong permanent magnets is known by the trade name Alnico. This word derives from the chemical symbols of the metals that comprise it: aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), and cobalt (Co). Other elements are sometimes added, including copper and titanium. However, any piece of iron or steel can be magnetized to some extent. Many technicians use screwdrivers that are slightly magnetized so that they can hold onto screws when installing or removing them from hard-to-reach places.
Permanent magnets are best made from materials with high retentivity. They are made by using the material as the core of an electromagnet for an extended period of time. If you want to magnetize a screwdriver a little bit so that it will hold onto screws, stroke the shaft of the screwdriver with the end of a bar magnet several dozen times. However, take note: Once you have magnetized a tool, it is practically impossible to completely demagnetize it.

مواضيع ذات صلة

عجائب المجالات المغناطيسية

المجال المغناطيسي الارضي

Planetary magnetism

Therapy and treatment

Cellular biology

Magnetotaxis

Magnetic field effects

Electrodeposition

Magnetic memory

Materials for spin electronics

Actuators

Sensors