So they are going to replace rare and expensive Neodymium (10000 tonnes per year ~$120/kg) with rarer and more expensive (200 tonnes per year and ~$600/kg) Gallium, and this is better because Gallium is not a 'rare' earth. Unless it has _much_ better properties I think I will reserve my enthusiasm.
On 20 December 2011 23:54, Terry Blanton <[email protected]> wrote: > http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-12-magnetic-breakthrough-significant.html > > Magnetic breakthrough may have significant pull > December 20, 2011 > > Physics professor Don Heiman and graduate student-researcher Steven > Bennett have designed a super-strong magnetic material that may > revolutionize the production of magnets found in computers. > > (PhysOrg.com) -- Northeastern University researchers have designed a > super-strong magnetic material that may revolutionize the production > of magnets found in computers, mobile phones, electric cars and > wind-powered generators. > > The findings — which dovetail with Northeastern’s focus on > use-inspired research that solves global challenges in health, > security and sustainability — will be published in an upcoming edition > of the journal Applied Physics Letters. > > “State-of-the-art electric motors and generators contain highly > coercive magnets that are based on rare-earth elements, but we have > developed a new material with similar properties without those exotic > elements,” said coauthor Don Heiman, a physics professor in the > College of Science. > > Heiman’s work aligns with Northeastern’s existing expertise in this > area. The university's Center for Microwave Magnetic Materials and > Integrated Circuits, for example, works to develop next-generation > microwave materials and device solutions for radar and wireless > communication technologies for U.S. defense and commercial industries. > > For this study, the team of researchers, including undergraduates Tom > Cardinal and Thomas Nummy and graduate student Steven Bennett, found > that the compound manganese gallium can be synthesized on the > nanoscale to produce a coercive field that rivals materials containing > rare-earth elements, which are considerably more expensive to process > and mine. > > The need to develop low-cost magnetic materials is at an all-time > high. Last year, China, which has cornered the market on the supply of > the rare earth elements, purposely reduced production by 40 percent to > drive up prices throughout the rest of the world. > > As Heiman put it, “The government would be in a bind if it had to rely > on China to produce hybrid cars and wind generators.” > > He presented the team’s research in November in Scottsdale, Ariz., at > the 56th Annual Conference on Magnetism and Magnetic Materials. > Representatives of Toyota, LG Electronics and hard-drive manufacturers > Seagate and Hitachi Global were particularly interested in the > findings. > > “It garnered a lot of interest,” Heiman said. > > He praised the contribution of the trio of student-researchers, whose > lab work taught them how to approach scientific problems in new ways. > “The goal is to get students in the lab as soon as possible,” Heiman > explained. “In class, students work on problems with specific answers, > but when you enter the real world, it’s not like that." > > <end> > >
