How Long Do Magnets Last (And Why)?

How Long Do Magnets Last (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 100 years

A magnet is a substance or a device that can generate a magnetic field around it. A magnet may attract ferromagnetic elements such as iron filings and reject any other magnet due to its magnetic field. Magnetic materials such as iron, copper, metals, or chromium are used to make magnets.

The north-south orientation is always indicated by magnets hanging through a thread. A magnet is always made up of two magnetic poles that cannot be separated. These are known as the “north pole” and “south pole,” respectively. Poles that are similar repel each other, but poles that are opposed attract.

How Long Do Magnets Last

How Long Do Magnets Last?

Types of magnetsLasts for
Neodymium magnets100 years
Ferrite magnets100 years

If correctly specified and cared for, your magnet should lose no more than 1% of its magnetic strength over 100 years. The magnet should not be exposed to temperatures beyond its maximum operating temperature, should be protected against corrosion, and should not be exposed to powerful demagnetizing fields.

If you are purchasing magnets for personal, workplace, leisure, or commercial usage, you will undoubtedly want to safeguard your new acquisition to guarantee it lasts as long as possible and remains as powerful as the day you purchased it. The durability of each kind, substance, structure, and size of permanent magnet will vary, but with proper care, all magnets will last longer.

Several factors might cause your magnet to lose its tensile strength:

  • Heat will reduce the magnet’s strength if it is exposed to temperatures over the limit rated for the magnet material in your separator. The maximum temperature of standard rare earth material from MPI is 176°F, whereas the maximum temperature of standard ceramic material is 400°F. Some materials can withstand higher temperatures that may have been utilized in your system. If you have any queries about the maximum temperature for your system, contact the manufacturer.
  • Sharp hits to the magnet, such as those caused by physical abuse or handling, might reduce the magnet’s strength. Your separator’s magnetic material is fragile, and these hits might cause cracks in the material, decreasing its strength.
  • Welding on or near a magnet might reduce its performance. This could be caused by the welding process’s heat or current.
  • Moisture can enter the magnet housing if the magnet housing is compromised. This can cause the magnet material to oxidize, resulting in a weaker magnetic system. For sanitary reasons, if the housing is damaged, the magnet should be changed as well.

When specifying your magnet, it is always recommended to consult a magnet professional. The magnetic pull test kit from MPI is the most precise and simple way to evaluate the strength of your magnets. This compact, easy-to-use gauge fits into small spaces and is battery-powered. The magnetic pull test kit from MPI can measure draw in pounds, ounces, kilograms, newtons, and kilonewtons. It may be used to test all sorts and combinations of magnets.

The shelf life of a product indicates when it can no longer fulfill its intended purpose or becomes harmful or unsafe. A permanent magnet must lose part or all of its ability to generate a net external field to be unable to perform its intended function. The magnitude of this loss would decide whether or not the magnet could function.

Only “Magnetic Creep” can lower a magnet’s field if it is left alone on a shelf with no external impacts. When a magnet begins to submit to identity forces, this is known as “Magnetic Creep.”

Why Do Magnets Last For So Long?

A magnet will sustain its magnetism for years and years if preserved and utilized in ideal operating circumstances.

Magnets are made up of materials made up of magnetic domains, which include atoms with aligned spins. The amount of magnetism diminishes when this alignment is destroyed over time, mostly as a result of heat and stray electromagnetic fields. However, the process is slow: a contemporary samarium-cobalt magnet loses half its strength in around 700 years.

In the actual world, magnets must be stored, handled, packaged, numbered, and so on, and they may be subjected to various undesirable effects. The following are some of the circumstances that a magnet may encounter while in storage that might impede its ability to generate a net field:

  • Volume loss is the most noticeable aspect, which could be caused by corrosion or impacts in which actual chips or sections of the magnet are lost. The field produced by a smaller magnet is less powerful. Magnets must be protected not only in their intended application but also during storage.
  • A very powerful magnetic field magnetizes permanent magnets. Magnets can be damaged by magnetic fields emitted by other magnets. This is especially true when magnets with many part numbers are kept in the same location. Larger, more powerful magnets can produce a field that partially demagnetizes smaller magnets.

Conclusion

Permanent magnets are created in a variety of ways, but all entail casting, compressing and fusing, pressure bonding, metal injection, extruding, or calendaring. Children should be monitored at all times when playing with magnets.

Small neodymium magnets are particularly harmful if ingested by a youngster, since they can attract in the intestines, demanding emergency surgery. Steps can be done to examine the inventory if you have older magnets or magnets with a dubious storage history.

References

  1. https://inis.iaea.org/search/search.aspx?orig_q=RN:15037474
  2. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/mrs-bulletin/article/singlemolecule-magnets/65E2461C810E8DE1A2ED2BF9620D3F96
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