Scientists have discovered a new way to make new magnetic materials.
It is reported that a team from Cambridge University and a collaborator from Austria have discovered a new method for manufacturing new magnetic materials, namely tetrataenite. According to a research paper from the university, this material may become a substitute for rare earth permanent magnets.
According to the data previously published by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, diaspore is composed of 50% iron and 50% nickel, and iron and nickel atoms are alternately arranged, which is a regular periodic crystal structure. It produces a kind of hard magnetism, that is, the magnetization direction will not change easily, and the magnetism is close to that of rare earth magnets.
Prior to this, tetrazolium can only be manufactured in the laboratory by some non-commercial methods. However, researchers at Cambridge University recently discovered that tetratantalite can be produced on a large scale by adding phosphorus, a common element.
At present, researchers hope to cooperate with major magnet manufacturers to determine whether ferronitride is suitable for high-performance magnets.
China rare earth industry may be affected?
If the production process discovered by Cambridge University is proved to be commercially feasible, it may replace the application of rare earth permanent magnets in electric vehicles, wind turbines and other fields, and China's dominant position in the global rare earth market may be affected. At present, China accounts for more than 80% of the global rare earth supply.
LindsayGreer from the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy at Cambridge University led the research. He said in the paper:
There are rare earth deposits in other places, but mining operations are very destructive: you have to extract a lot of materials to obtain a small amount of rare earth. Due to the environmental impact and heavy dependence on some countries, people urgently need to find alternative materials that do not need rare earths.
With the rapid development of electric vehicles and other industries, the global demand for rare earths has been increasing in recent years. Earlier this year, US President Biden expressed support for increasing rare earth production, and the EU Foreign Ministry also said this month that the EU should diversify its supply chain, including the supply chain of rare earth metals.
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