How Strong Are Neodymium Magnets?
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Introduction
Magnet is one of the most common items in our daily life. It has a wide range of applications and can be used in industry, manufacturing, and electronic products, etc. Magnets can be divided into two categories, namely permanent magnets and non-permanent magnets, and permanent magnets can be natural magnetite or artificially made magnets.
Among all permanent magnets, the strongest is the neodymium magnets. This type of magnet is called the King of Magnets. Then how strong are neodymium magnets?
How Strong Are Neodymium Magnets?
The magnetic energy product (BH)max of neodymium magnets is more than 10 times that of ferrites, and it can suck substances more than 640 times their weight. In our everyday life, the magnet's magnetism usually does not harm humans, but if it is the most powerful magnet on earth, this is another matter.
Key Data on Neodymium Magnet Strength
-
Magnetic Field Strength (Tesla, T):
- Neodymium magnets can produce a surface field strength between 0.5 to 1.4 Tesla (5,000 - 14,000 Gauss).
- By comparison, the Earth's magnetic field is about 0.00005 Tesla (50 µT).
-
Maximum Energy Product (MGOe - Mega Gauss Oersteds):
- Neodymium magnets typically range from 35 to 52 MGOe, depending on the grade.
- For example, an N52-grade neodymium magnet has an energy product of 52 MGOe, making it one of the strongest.
- In contrast, ceramic (ferrite) magnets only reach about 3.5 MGOe.
-
Pull Force (Holding Strength):
- A small 10mm x 5mm neodymium magnet can hold over 2 kg (4.4 lbs).
- A 50mm x 50mm x 25mm N52 magnet can generate over 100 kg (220 lbs) of pull force.
- Large industrial neodymium magnets can hold over 500 kg (1100 lbs).
Comparison Table of Neodymium Magnet Grades and Pull Forces
Neodymium magnets are the strongest type of magnet. But different grades have different strengths.
The number in the grade (like 35, 42, or 52) shows the magnet's energy product in MGOe. The higher the number, the stronger the magnet.
The letter (like M, H, or SH) shows the temperature rating. The later the letter, the more heat the magnet can handle.
The number in the grade (like 35, 42, or 52) shows the magnet's energy product in MGOe. The higher the number, the stronger the magnet.
The letter (like M, H, or SH) shows the temperature rating. The later the letter, the more heat the magnet can handle.
Neodymium Magnet Grade Parameter Table
|
Grade |
Max. Energy Product (MGOe) |
Remanence (Br, KGs) |
Max. Operating Temp. |
|
N35 |
33-35 |
11.7-12.1 |
80°C |
|
N38 |
36-38 |
12.2-12.6 |
80°C |
|
N40 |
38-40 |
12.6-12.9 |
80°C |
|
N42 |
40-42 |
13.0-13.2 |
80°C |
|
N45 |
43-45 |
13.3-13.7 |
80°C |
|
N48 |
45-48 |
13.8-14.2 |
80°C |
|
N50 |
48-50 |
14.1-14.5 |
60-80°C |
|
N52 |
49.5-52 |
14.5-14.8 |
60-80°C |
Actual Pull Force Data for Common Magnet Sizes
|
Magnet Size |
Grade |
Pull Force |
|
Φ10mm x 2mm |
N28 |
≈ 2.65 kg (26N) |
|
Φ10mm x 2mm |
N45 |
≈ 4.5 kg (44N) |
|
Φ10mm x 5mm |
N38 |
≈ 2.5 kg |
|
Φ10mm x 10mm |
N35H |
≈ 3.4 kg |
|
Φ20mm x 5mm |
N42 |
≈ 7.2 kg |
|
Φ20mm x 10mm |
N52 |
≈ 14.8 kg |
|
Φ30mm x 30mm |
N52 |
≈ 50 kg |
Neodymium Magnet Strength--The Experiment
The magnetic force of the neodymium magnet has super lethality, and to verify how strong the magnetic force of the neodymium magnets is, scientists did the following experiments. The steps of the experiment are very simple. Just put two neodymium magnets with opposite magnetic poles on both sides, place some objects in the middle of the two magnets, and then release the two magnets to test the strength of the magnetism.
First, they placed a can of Coca-Cola between two neodymium magnets. The moment the neodymium magnets were released, the can of Coke was instantly crushed by a powerful force, scattering the Coke all over the place. After that, they also used an apple to experiment to test how strong neodymium magnets can be. Unexpectedly, after the magnets were released, the apple was squeezed and deformed little by little under the magnetic force of the neodymium magnets, and finally, the whole apple was crushed into dozens of pieces.
They explained that large neodymium magnets can crush objects weighing several tons. Therefore, if the object used in this experiment is not an apple but a human's body, then such a strong magnetic force of the neodymium magnets will cause lethal harm to the human body, and even easily crush the human bones. It can be seen from the above two experiments that the magnetic force of the neodymium magnets is super strong. Thus, when using this kind of magnets, we must take extra care to prevent harm to ourselves due to improper use.
Why Are Neodymium Magnets So Strong?
The exceptional strength of neodymium magnets comes mainly from their unique internal crystal structure. The compound made of neodymium, iron, and boron (chemical formula Nd₂Fe₁₄B) allows nearly all of the magnetic moments within the material to align in the same direction, and this alignment is extremely difficult to disrupt with external magnetic fields or heat. At the same time, both neodymium and iron are inherently strongly magnetic, and their combination generates a very high magnetic field strength within an extremely small volume.
Applications of Strong Neodymium Magnets
Neodymium magnets are a core component of electric vehicle drive motors and wind turbine generators.
Neodymium magnets are widely used in high-performance headphones, smartphone vibration motors, and computer hard disk drives.
MRI machines rely on them to generate a strong and stable magnetic field.
People use them to make extremely powerful magnetic hooks, convenient magnetic phone holders, and various magnetic charging cables.
Neodymium magnets are also used in lifting equipment for handling steel, in recycling facilities for separating scrap metal, and in high-precision robots for joint actuation.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading our article and we hope it can help you have a better understanding of how strong are neodymium magnets.
Stanford Magnets is a leading magnet supplier across the world, that has been involved in R&D, manufacturing, and sales of magnets since the 1990s. It provides customers with high-quality rare earth permanent magnetic products such as neodymium magnets, and other non-rare earth permanent magnets at a very competitive price.
