High frequency magnetic properties of Fe-based nanocrystalline alloy powder cores

Toroidal shape Fe-based nanocrystalline alloy powder cores were prepared from the melt spun Fe 73.5 Cu 1 Nb 3 Si 15.5 B 7 ribbons by cold pressing using silicon and phenol resin as an insulating material, respectively. The effect of the insulating materials and their content on the high-frequency magnetic properties of the compacted cores were investigated. The Fe-based nanocrystalline alloy powder cores using phenol resin exhibit stable permeability over 1 MHz, showing excellent high-frequency characteristics. The core loss was reduced significantly and the dc-bias property was improved by using phenol resin. Uniform and good insulation by phenol resin leads to the excellent high-frequency characteristics of the cores. Silicon resin as an insulating material was also effective in improving the high frequency characteristics of the Fe-based nanocrystalline alloy powder cores. However, an appropriate coating process for silicon resin should be applied in order to achieve more improved high frequency characteristics of the nanocrystalline alloy powder cores by controlling the thickness of coated layer.