Magnetic properties of polymer-coated iron powdered core for electromagnetic applications

Abstract

Soft magnetic composites (SMC) of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) coated iron powders are developed based on their magnetic, electric, and physical properties. Different mass concentrations of PEEK and iron are prepared and optimized. A high purity iron powder is used for mesh 45, 45-150, and 150-250 micron for 14.1%, 66.4%, and 19.5% traces respectively. Different trace concentrations provide optimization of SMC properties concerning the application. The coating of the iron particles is performed by ultra-fine powdered PEEK particles in a centrifugal mixture, and the overall SMC manufacturing process is improved to be solvent-free, economical, and environmentally friendly. The polymer coating on metal powders reduces the core losses significantly. SMC samples of various densities are tested for magnetic properties by using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) at four temperature values 298.15, 323.15, 348.15, and 373.15 K. The physical characteristics are studied by using an optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The feasibility of the developed SMC is tested by developing a lightweight core for an ultra-thin BLDC motor with low power losses.