Kurzantwort
FeNi50 soft magnetic powder is a spherical iron-nickel alloy feedstock containing approximately 50% nickel with the balance iron, positioned in the middle of the Fe-Ni soft magnetic family between the expansion-matched FeNi42 and the ultra-high-permeability 78-80% nickel permalloys. It delivers the best balance of magnetic properties per dollar in the family: saturation flux density of 1.5-1.6 T, roughly double that of high-nickel permalloy, combined with initial permeability of 4,000-10,000 and coercive force below 10 A/m after proper hydrogen annealing. For powder metallurgy, additive manufacturing, and metal injection molding buyers, the critical sourcing parameters are nickel content held within 49-51% (or 47-49% for the Alloy 48 variant), oxygen below 0.05 wt%, particle size distribution matched to the process (15-53 microns for LPBF, 45-106 microns for EBM and DED, sub-38 micron cuts for MIM), sphericity above 92%, and documented batch chemistry with interstitial analysis. Final magnetic performance develops only after annealing at 1000-1100 deg C in dry hydrogen or high vacuum, so oxygen specification and powder cleanliness directly determine finished part quality. FeNi50 is the default choice for relay cores, magnetic shielding, sensor yokes, and instrument transformer components where induction levels exceed what permalloy can carry and permeability requirements exceed what silicon steel can deliver.
What Is FeNi50 Soft Magnetic Powder and Its Material Benefits
FeNi50 soft magnetic powder belongs to the nickel-iron family of soft magnetic alloys, a composition series whose magnetic behavior changes continuously and predictably with nickel content. At 50% nickel, the alloy sits at a sweet spot in the Fe-Ni phase diagram: high enough in nickel to develop genuinely soft magnetic properties with high permeability and low coercivity, yet iron-rich enough to retain a saturation flux density of 1.5-1.6 T, twice that of the 80% nickel permalloys. In wrought form this composition family is standardized as Alloy 48 (47-49% Ni, DIN 1.3922) and related 50% nickel grades, with decades of service in relay cores, transformer laminations, and magnetic shielding.
Within the range of weichmagnetische Pulver offered for powder metallurgy and additive manufacturing, FeNi50 occupies the general-purpose high-performance position. FeNi42 below it trades magnetic performance for thermal expansion matching; FeNi80 permalloy above it trades flux capacity for ultimate permeability. FeNi50 maximizes neither axis but optimizes the combination, which is exactly what most electromagnetic components need.
The material benefits that drive demand for FeNi50 powder include:
- High saturation flux density for a high-permeability alloy: 1.5-1.6 T allows smaller core cross-sections than permalloy at the same induction level.
- High permeability and low coercive force: initial permeability of 4,000-10,000 and coercive force under 10 A/m after annealing minimize hysteresis loss and magnetizing current.
- Low magnetostriction: near-zero magnetostriction in this composition region reduces noise and stress sensitivity in cores and shielding.
- Curie temperature around 500 deg C: supports service in elevated-temperature environments where ferrites fail.
- Excellent ductility and processability: the single-phase fcc structure sinters, prints, and machines cleanly.
In powder form, these properties reach geometries that laminations and machined cores cannot achieve: three-dimensional flux paths, integrated shielding structures, net-shape metal injection molded (MIM) sensor cores by the million, and printed magnetic components with topology-optimized flux guides. Powder metallurgy also eliminates the mechanical stress that stamping introduces into laminations, preserving as-annealed magnetic performance in the finished part.
Chemical Composition Standards and Element Purpose Description
FeNi50 chemistry looks simple on paper, essentially nickel and iron, but magnetic performance is exquisitely sensitive to the nickel percentage and to trace impurities that pin magnetic domain walls. Powder specifications therefore hold tighter tolerances than general engineering alloys.
Chemical Composition of FeNi50
| Element | Min (%) | Max (%) | Rolle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickel (Ni) | 49.0 | 51.0 | Defines permeability, saturation, Curie point, and magnetostriction |
| Eisen (Fe) | Waage | Waage | Ferromagnetic base; primary contributor to saturation flux density |
| Manganese (Mn) | – | 0.50 | Entsauerungsmittel in der Schmelzpraxis; verbessert die Warmumformbarkeit |
| Silizium (Si) | – | 0.30 | Deoxidizer; modestly raises electrical resistivity |
| Kohlenstoff (C) | – | 0.03 | Impurity; interstitial that degrades permeability and raises coercivity |
| Phosphor (P) | – | 0.02 | Impurity; grain boundary embrittlement |
| Schwefel (S) | – | 0.02 | Impurity; sulfide inclusions pin domain walls |
| Sauerstoff (O, Pulver) | – | 0.05 | Zwischenraumpulver; muss gering gehalten werden, um die magnetische Weichheit zu gewährleisten |
Nickel content controls everything. Moving from 42% to 50% nickel raises initial permeability roughly threefold and halves coercive force, while saturation flux density holds nearly constant near 1.5-1.6 T; moving further toward 78-80% nickel multiplies permeability by another order of magnitude but collapses saturation to 0.75-0.8 T. The 49-51% window thus represents the engineered compromise, and certificates of analysis should report nickel to two decimal places, because a one-percent shift measurably changes annealed permeability. The composition also sits near the zero-magnetostriction point of the Fe-Ni system, which is why FeNi50 cores run quiet and tolerate mechanical stress better than iron or silicon steel.
Eisen provides the high magnetic moment that keeps saturation flux density useful. Its proportion is the reason FeNi50 outperforms permalloy in any application where the core carries real induction rather than just small-signal magnetization.
Carbon, sulfur, phosphorus, and oxygen are the magnetic poisons. Interstitial carbon and oxide or sulfide inclusions obstruct domain wall motion, directly converting to higher coercive force, lower permeability, and increased hysteresis loss. In powder production, oxygen is the dominant concern: every particle carries surface oxide from atomization, and total oxygen above 0.05 wt% measurably degrades sintered and printed part performance even after hydrogen annealing. This is why premium FeNi50 powder is argon-atomized, handled under inert gas, and packaged in sealed moisture-barrier containers, and why the oxygen value on the certificate deserves the same scrutiny as the nickel content.
Manganese and silicon remain from deoxidation practice and are harmless at specification limits; silicon even contributes a small resistivity benefit that helps in AC applications.
Physikalische und mechanische Eigenschaften bei Normtemperatur
FeNi50’s datasheet spans magnetic, thermal, and mechanical properties, and all three matter for powder buyers designing cores, shields, and structural-magnetic components. Values below reflect the annealed condition at 20-25 deg C, the state relevant to magnetic service.
Wichtige Eigenschaften
| Eigentum | Wert | Einheit |
|---|---|---|
| Dichte | 8.25 | g/cm3 |
| Schmelzbereich | 1440-1450 | °C |
| Curie Temperature | ~500 | °C |
| Sättigungsflussdichte (Bs) | 1.5-1.6 | T |
| Zwangskraft (geglüht) | < 10 | A/m |
| Anfängliche Durchlässigkeit | 4000-10000 | – |
| Maximum permeability | 30000-60000 | – |
| Elektrischer Widerstand | 0.45-0.50 | uOhm*m |
| CTE (20–300 °C) | 8-9 | x10⁻⁶/K |
| Wärmeleitfähigkeit | 17-20 | W/m*K |
| Elastizitätsmodul | 160 | GPa |
| Zugfestigkeit (geglüht) | 540-590 | MPa |
| Streckgrenze (geglüht) | 200-260 | MPa |
| Dehnung | 30-35 | % |
| Härte (geglüht) | 120-140 | HV |
Die magnetic property set defines the alloy’s market position. Saturation of 1.5-1.6 T matches silicon steel’s working induction range, while permeability of 4,000-10,000 exceeds grain-oriented silicon steel in the low and medium induction region and is roughly an order of magnitude above ferrites. The combination means FeNi50 cores can carry power-frequency flux like an iron core while responding to small signals like a precision magnetic material, which is why the alloy dominates instrument transformers, magnetic amplifiers, and ground fault sensor cores.
Electrical resistivity of 0.45-0.50 uOhm*m, roughly three times that of pure iron, limits eddy current losses in AC service, though at power frequencies in solid cores, losses still exceed laminated structures; powder metallurgy parts compensate through insulated-particle construction or thin-wall printed geometries. The Curie temperature near 500 deg C provides comfortable margin for elevated-temperature service where MnZn ferrites, with Curie points of 200-300 deg C, cannot operate.
Mechanisch, the annealed alloy is soft and ductile with no hardening transformation, so all strength comes from cold work, which simultaneously destroys magnetic softness. Finished magnetic parts are therefore always used fully annealed, and the post-process anneal in printed or sintered parts serves double duty: stress relief plus magnetic development. Designers should note the thermal expansion of 8-9 x 10-6/K, ordinary rather than matched, which distinguishes FeNi50 from FeNi42 for any application involving glass or ceramic sealing; for purely magnetic duty, expansion is rarely a design constraint.
Density of 8.25 g/cm3 matters practically for powder buyers converting between mass, layer volume, and part count when quoting builds or MIM feedstock consumption.
Size Distribution Tolerances and Available Supply Grades List
FeNi50 powder is commercially available in process-matched cuts, each with defined tolerances on distribution, morphology, and interstitial content.
Verfügbare Spezifikationen
| Parameter | Standard/Wert |
|---|---|
| PSD für LPBF / SLM | 15-53 um (D10 ~20, D50 ~34, D90 ~53) |
| PSD für EBM / DED | 45–106 µm |
| PSD für MIM | 0–22 µm oder 0–38 µm |
| PSD für Press-and-Sinter-PM | 45–150 µm |
| PSD für das thermische Spritzen | 15–45 µm |
| Sphärizität | >= 92% (gaszerstäubt) |
| Durchflussmenge im Hall-Kanal | <= 18 s/50 g |
| Scheinbare Dichte | >= 4.4 g/cm3 |
| Zapfstellendichte | >= 5,0 g/cm³ |
| Sauerstoffgehalt | <= 0,05 Gew.-% (Premium <= 0,03 Gew.-%) |
| Chemie | Ni 49-51% (Alloy 48 variant: 47-49%) |
| Verpackung | Vakuumversiegelte oder mit Argon gefüllte Fässer mit Feuchtigkeitsbarriere |
Für Selektives Laserschmelzen (SLM) platforms, the 15-53 micron cut is standard, with fines below 15 microns limited to under 10%. FeNi50’s high density gives the powder excellent flow and spreading behavior, supporting fine 20-30 micron layers for high-resolution magnetic core geometries. LPBF of Fe-Ni soft magnetics is a maturing production route for shaped pole pieces, integrated sensor housings, and prototype electromagnetic components where machining from wrought bar would introduce stress and waste.
Für Elektronenstrahlschmelzen (EBM) and directed energy deposition, the 45-106 micron cut flows reliably at elevated preheat temperatures, and the EBM vacuum environment offers the secondary benefit of suppressing oxidation during builds, a meaningful advantage for a grade whose value depends on interstitial cleanliness.
MIM and press-and-sinter grades represent the largest tonnage opportunity. Sub-38 micron MIM cuts with high solids loading feed production of small sensor cores, relay armatures, and shielding components at automotive volumes, while coarser 45-150 micron press-and-sinter powder serves larger soft magnetic composite and structural parts. For all sintered routes, oxygen specification dominates quality: sintering in dry hydrogen reduces surface oxides, but bulk oxygen above 0.05 wt% cannot be fully recovered, and every point of residual oxygen costs permeability.
Chargenzertifizierung should include laser diffraction PSD per ISO 13320, nickel chemistry by ICP-OES reported to two decimals, oxygen-nitrogen by inert gas fusion, Hall flow per ASTM B213, and SEM morphology imaging. Because magnetic properties cannot be measured on loose powder, qualification lots for critical programs should include sintered or printed test rings measured for permeability and coercive force after the standard anneal, a practice worth specifying in purchase agreements.
Herstellungsprozess: Zerstäubungsprüfung und Wärmebehandlung
FeNi50 powder production centers on inert gas atomization under argon, with the process chain engineered around one goal: delivering powder clean enough that the customer’s final anneal can develop full magnetic performance.
Schmelzen uses vacuum induction furnaces with electrolytic iron and 99.9%+ cathode nickel charges. Carbon control is critical, induction melting on refractory linings risks carbon pickup that the 0.03% maximum cannot absorb, so experienced producers use low-carbon practice with covered melts and pre-pour analysis. Nickel targeting within the 49-51% window is achieved through charge calculation and trim additions, verified before tapping.
Gaszerstäubung (GA) uses high-purity argon as the atomizing gas for this grade. Nitrogen atomization, economical for steels, is avoided because nitrogen dissolves in Fe-Ni melts and forms nitrides that pin domain walls; argon is fully inert and keeps the powder’s interstitial budget for oxygen alone. The superheated melt pours through a ceramic nozzle into converging argon jets, droplets spheroidize and freeze in the sealed tower, and well-run campaigns achieve 0.02-0.04 wt% oxygen with sphericity of 92-95%.
Prüfung und Klassifizierung cut the as-atomized distribution into commercial ranges through multi-deck ultrasonic sieving and air classification under inert blanketing. Lots are blended for chemistry and PSD homogeneity, sampled, and certified before packaging in vacuum-sealed or argon-backfilled moisture-barrier containers with desiccant.
Wärmebehandlung executes at the parts manufacturer, but it belongs in every sourcing conversation because powder quality and anneal effectiveness are linked. The standard cycle for FeNi50 parts:
- Anneal at 1000-1100 deg C in dry hydrogen (dew point below -40 deg C) or high vacuum for 2-4 hours, dissolving residual stress, growing grains, and allowing hydrogen to reduce surface oxides and scavenge carbon.
- Controlled cooling through the 400-600 deg C range, where the Ni3Fe ordering reaction occurs; cooling rate here tunes the permeability-coercivity balance.
- Optional magnetic field annealing for square-loop or flat-loop response in specialty core applications.
Suppliers with deep process capability, including in-house PREP-Pulverherstellungstechnologie for coarse satellite-free fractions, can advise on the oxygen limits and particle cleanliness that let this anneal reach specification permeability, rather than leaving customers to discover interstitial problems at final test.
Anwendungen nach Branchen: Medizin, Luft- und Raumfahrt sowie Energieerzeugung
FeNi50 powder serves applications that need genuine high-permeability magnetic performance at useful induction levels, across electronics, power, aerospace, and medical sectors. Representative uses are summarized below and on the supplier’s Anwendungen seite.
Typische Anwendungsbereiche nach Branche
| Industrie | Typische Teile | Why FeNi50 Powder |
|---|---|---|
| Power generation and distribution | Instrument transformer cores, magnetic amplifier cores, relay cores | High permeability at 1.5 T induction |
| Fahrzeugelektronik | Current sensor cores, ABS/motor position sensor parts, actuator armatures | Net-shape MIM economics at volume |
| Luft- und Raumfahrt | Sensor yokes, shielding enclosures, solenoid components | Stable performance across temperature, Curie 500 deg C |
| Medizinische | Imaging sensor components, instrument shielding, actuator cores | High permeability, biocompatible nickel alloy family |
| Industrial electronics | Ground fault interrupter cores, contactor parts, EMI shielding | Low coercive force, small-signal sensitivity |
| Telekommunikation | Filter cores, inductive components | Stable permeability, low loss |
Power generation and distribution is the historical core market. Instrument and current transformer cores must reproduce primary current waveforms faithfully, demanding high permeability at working induction plus low hysteresis, precisely FeNi50’s profile. Magnetic amplifier and saturable reactor cores exploit the alloy’s square B-H loop variants, and relay cores use its low coercive force for clean switching response.
Fahrzeugelektronik is the fastest-growing segment, driven by vehicle electrification. Every current sensor in a battery pack, inverter, and charging system needs a soft magnetic core; MIM-produced FeNi50 cores deliver the sensitivity and temperature stability (Curie 500 deg C, versus ferrite’s 200-300 deg C) that under-hood and power electronics environments require, at volumes of millions of parts annually where powder routes are the only economical geometry solution.
Luft- und Raumfahrt applications exploit temperature stability and shielding: sensor yokes and solenoid components that must hold calibration across wide temperature swings, and shielding enclosures for magnetically sensitive avionics where FeNi50’s combination of permeability and 1.5 T shielding capacity before saturation outperforms permalloy in compact sections.
Medizinische Geräte use the alloy in imaging sensor components and instrument shielding, and industrial electronics consume it in ground fault interrupter cores, the safety device that must detect milliamp leakage currents, which demands exactly the low coercive force and high initial permeability FeNi50 provides after proper annealing.
Across these markets, the sourcing logic is consistent: engineers reach for FeNi50 when the component must carry real flux like an iron core and sense small fields like a precision material, and powder metallurgy or printing delivers the geometry more economically than laminated or machined alternatives.
Vergleich mit anderen Güten und alternativen Legierungssystemen
Soft magnetic selection weighs FeNi50 against its Fe-Ni siblings and against the iron-based alternatives that bracket its cost and performance.
FeNi50 vs Alternative Soft Magnetic Alloys
| Eigentum | FeNi50 | FeNi42 | FeNi80 (Permalloy) | FeSi 3% (Silicon Steel) | FeCo50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sättigungsflussdichte (T) | 1.5-1.6 | 1.4-1.5 | 0.75-0.8 | 2.0 | 2.3-2.4 |
| Anfängliche Durchlässigkeit | 4000-10000 | 2000-5000 | 50000-100000+ | 1000-2000 | 1000-3000 |
| Zwangskraft (A/m) | < 10 | < 20 | < 2 | 30-60 | 40-80 |
| Elektrischer spezifischer Widerstand (uOhm*m) | 0.45-0.50 | 0.70 | 0.55 | 0.48 | 0.25 |
| Curie-Temperatur (°C) | ~500 | ~420 | ~450 | ~750 | ~980 |
| Glas-/Keramikabdichtung | Nein | Ja | Nein | Nein | Nein |
| Magnetostriction | Near zero | Niedrig | Zero (78% Ni) | Hoch | Hoch |
| Relative Materialkosten | Mittel | Mittel | Hoch | Niedrig | Sehr hoch |
FeNi42 sits one step below: slightly lower saturation, half the permeability, double the coercive force, and one decisive advantage, thermal expansion matched to glass and ceramics. Where a component must seal to glass, FeNi42 is mandatory; where the duty is purely magnetic, FeNi50 outperforms it on every magnetic axis at similar cost.
FeNi80-Permalloy sits one step above in permeability and one step below in flux capacity. For zero-field sensitivity, magnetic shielding against weak fields, and minimal hysteresis, permalloy is unbeatable; but its 0.75-0.8 T saturation means cores saturate at half FeNi50’s working induction, doubling required cross-sections in power applications. Shielding cans for weak fields go permalloy; instrument transformers and sensor cores carrying real induction go FeNi50.
FeSi silicon steel is the cost anchor: higher saturation, far lower cost, but an order of magnitude less permeable and mechanically brittle in powder form. For bulk power transformers nothing displaces it; for small precision cores where permeability per unit volume matters, FeNi50’s premium is justified.
FeCo50 is the saturation extreme at 2.3-2.4 T for aircraft generators and minimum-volume actuators, at several times the cost and with far lower permeability.
The selection rule compresses cleanly: FeSi for cheap bulk power, FeNi50 for precision cores at useful induction, permalloy for weak-field shielding, FeNi42 for glass-sealed magnetic parts, and FeCo50 when minimum volume justifies maximum cost.
Unser Unternehmen
Shanghai Truer Technology Co. Ltd. ist ein in China ansässiger Anbieter von Lösungen für die additive Fertigung, der PREP-Pulverherstellungsanlagen und hochwertige kugelförmige Metallpulver aus einer Hand anbietet. Das 2009 gegründete Unternehmen bietet sowohl Gaszerstäubung (GA) sowie PREP-Fertigungskapazitäten für Nickellegierungen, Titanlegierungen, Aluminiumlegierungen, rostfreie Stähle, Kobaltlegierungen, Kupferlegierungen, Hochentropie-Legierungen und Spezialwerkstoffe.
In the soft magnetic category, Truer supplies FeNi50, FeNi42, FeCo50, permalloy, and related compositions as spherical powders with particle size distributions matched to LPBF, EBM, DED, MIM, thermal spray, and press-and-sinter processes. Soft magnetic grades are atomized under high-purity argon to hold oxygen at premium levels, and every batch ships with a certificate of analysis covering nickel content to two decimals, oxygen and interstitial analysis, PSD by laser diffraction, Hall flow, apparent density, and SEM morphology on request.
Beyond standard grades, the company provides custom alloy development, including narrowed nickel windows and Alloy 48 variants, plus small-batch prototyping quantities and scale production for power, automotive, aerospace, and medical customers. A joint innovation center for metal 3D printing, operated with leading research institutions, supports customers qualifying printed magnetic components or developing annealing practice for new powder lots.
For inquiries about FeNi50 soft magnetic powder specifications, sampling, or custom compositions, Wenden Sie sich an das Team mit Ihrem PSD-Zielwert, dem Sauerstoffgrenzwert und der geschätzten Jahresmenge.
FAQ
Q1: What is the typical particle size distribution for FeNi50 soft magnetic powder? A: The standard LPBF cut is 15-53 microns, with 45-106 microns for EBM and DED. MIM grades use 0-22 or 0-38 micron fine cuts, press-and-sinter uses 45-150 microns, and thermal spray grades are available at 15-45 microns.
Q2: Can FeNi50 powder be used in both SLM and EBM systems? A: Yes, with the PSD matched to the platform: 15-53 microns for SLM/LPBF and 45-106 microns for EBM. EBM’s vacuum atmosphere is advantageous for this grade since it limits oxidation during the build, and parts from either process require a final hydrogen or vacuum anneal to develop full magnetic properties.
Q3: What certifications does FeNi50 powder come with? A: Standard supply includes a certificate of analysis with nickel content reported to two decimals, oxygen-nitrogen by inert gas fusion, PSD by laser diffraction, Hall flow rate, and apparent density. SEM morphology reports, batch traceability, and annealed test ring magnetic data are available for qualification programs.
Q4: What is the MOQ for ordering FeNi50 powder? A: Sample quantities of 5-10 kg are available for process development and magnetic qualification. Production orders typically start at 25-50 kg, with improved pricing at volumes above 100 kg.
Q5: Can the composition of FeNi50 powder be customized? A: Yes. The nickel window can be narrowed within 49-51%, the Alloy 48 variant (47-49% Ni) is available, and neighboring compositions such as FeNi42 or FeNi55 can be produced on the same atomization platform with a minimum campaign quantity.
Q6: What is the typical lead time for FeNi50 powder orders? A: Standard cuts are usually available from stock or within 1-2 weeks. Custom compositions and large campaign quantities typically require 3-6 weeks depending on melting and atomization scheduling.
