Necessary Coating of Super Magnets
Neodymium is easy to react to oxygen and oxidizes quickly if untreated. That's why all neodymium magnets are covered with a protective coating, which is so thin that it doesn't have any impact on the adhesive force of the magnet. In this article, let's take a look at the common coating of super magnets.
Coating of Super Magnets
Typically, we will find the following coatings on our neodymium magnets:
Coating of Super Magnets -1. Nickel (Ni-Cu-Ni)
It is the most common plating. Ni-Cu-Ni is a durable 3-layer (nickel, copper, nickel coating). Great for indoor use. They may be used outdoors if protected from rain and humidity. Good abrasion resistance.
Coating of Super Magnets - 2. Gold-Coating (Ni-Cu-Ni-Au)
The gold coating has high corrosion resistance and is conductive. It is usually coated with a base layer of nickel, and copper, to bring out the natural shine of the gold. It works very well in water applications. The gold layer is very but still adds some cost to the magnet.
Coating of Super Magnets - 3. Chrome (Ni-Cu-Ni-Cr)
The chrome has a better resistance against rubbing and pressure, and that's why we use this coating for our sphere magnets. Its color is dull, grey-metallic.
Coating of Super Magnets - 4. Copper (Ni-Cu)
Its color is shiny brown-red-gold. The color may change over time due to oxidation (darkening, spots). The copper-colored surface rubs off with frequent use (similar to gold-coated magnets) and is therefore suitable for decorative purposes only.
Coating of Super Magnets - 5. Epoxy Resin (Ni-Cu-Ni-Epoxy)
Black Epoxy plating consists of 3 layers Nickel, Copper, and Epoxy exposed as the top layer. Great for outdoor applications. However, black epoxy is not as abrasion-resistant as other plantings. In harsh conditions, the epoxy layer may be scratched off to expose the copper layer underneath.
Even the smallest, not visible, damages of the coating will cause damage to the neodymium bar magnets in the long term when exposed to moisture.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading our article and we hope it can help you to have a better understanding of the coating of super magnets. If you want to know more about the coating of magnets, we advise you to visit Stanford Magnets for more information.
As a leading supplier of various magnet products across the world, Stanford Magnets has been involved in R&D, manufacturing, and sales of magnets since the 1990s. We provide our customers with high-quality rare earth permanent magnetic products such as neodymium magnets, and other non-rare earth permanent magnets at a very affordable price.
