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  • Ferromagnetic Metals: Iron, Nickel & Cobalt - Properties & Applications
    The most common metals used to make ferromagnets are:

    * Iron (Fe): The most abundant and historically significant ferromagnetic material. It's the basis for many applications like steel and electromagnets.

    * Nickel (Ni): Used in alloys with iron to improve properties like corrosion resistance and magnetic permeability.

    * Cobalt (Co): Offers excellent magnetic properties, even at high temperatures. It's used in high-performance magnets and magnetic recording media.

    Other ferromagnetic elements include:

    * Gadolinium (Gd): Used in specialized applications due to its strong ferromagnetism at room temperature.

    * Dysprosium (Dy): Used in high-performance permanent magnets due to its high magnetic anisotropy.

    * Terbium (Tb): Similar to dysprosium, used in high-performance magnets.

    Important Note: Ferromagnetism is not limited to just these pure metals. Many alloys and compounds exhibit strong ferromagnetic properties, often exceeding the performance of the individual elements. For example:

    * Alnico: An alloy of aluminum, nickel, and cobalt known for its strong magnetic properties.

    * Samarium-cobalt (SmCo): A powerful permanent magnet material.

    * Neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB): The strongest commercially available permanent magnet material.

    Therefore, while pure iron, nickel, and cobalt are the most common ferromagnetic metals, various alloys and compounds offer unique properties and performance advantages in different applications.

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