Ferrite Information Center

(click on an element to view our products)

Ferrite Structure

Ferrite Structure

Ferrite, a ceramic-like material with magnetic properties, is useful in many types of electronic devices and building materials. They are composed of iron oxide and one or more other metals in chemical combination. Ferrites are hard, brittle, generally gray or black, and typically have a crystal structure which has more than one type of site for the cations. Usually the magnetic moments of the metal ions on sites of one type are parallel to each other and anti-parallel to the moments on at least one site of another type. It is the component which gives steel and cast iron their magnetic properties, and is the classic example of a ferromagnetic material. Any iron-carbon alloy will contain some amount of ferrite if it is allowed to reach equilibrium at room temperature.

There are three important classes of commercial ferrites.
Spinel structure ferrites have the general formula M2+Fe23+O4, where M2+ is a divalent metal ion. These linear ferrites are used in inductors and transformers and are made of Mn and Zn (for frequencies up to 1 MHz) and Ni and Zn (for frequencies greater than 1 MHz). MgMn ferrites are used in microwave devices such as isolators and circulators. Ferrites with square loop shapes were used computer memory-core elements and recording tape into the late 1970s, when these ferrites gave way to semiconductors.

Ferrites with garnet structure are another class of commercially important ferrites, with the formula M33+Fe53+O12, where M3+ is a rare-earth or yttrium ion. Yttrium based garnets are used in microwave devices and thin monocrystalline films of complex garnets have been developed for bubble domain memory devices.

The final class of ferrites has a hexagonal structure, M2+Fe123+O19 magnetoplumbite type, where M2+ is usually barium, strontium, or lead. Due to their large magnetocrystalline anisotropy, the hexagonal ferrites develop high coercivity and are an important member of the permanent magnet family. These ferrites have high magnetic permeability and are used commonly as a constituent of ordinary iron and steel.

Purities include 99%, 99.9%, 99.99%, 99.999% and 99.9999% which are sometimes referred to as 2N, 3N, 4N, 5N and 6N.

Physical properties may include nanopowder, nano particle, submicron, - 325 mesh, rod, foil, and high surface area bromide with particle distribution and particle size controlled and certified. We produce larger - 40 mesh, - 100 mesh, -200 mesh range sizes and < 0.5 mm, 2 mm, 5 mm and other mm size shot, granules, lump, flake and pieces, too.

American Elements maintains industrial scale production for all its ferrite products.

American Elements will execute Non-Disclosure or Confidentiality Agreements to protect customer know-how.

Please select a Ferrite Material from the table:

Aluminum Ferrite
Barium Ferrite
Bismuth Ferrite
Boron Ferrite
Calcium Ferrite

Cobalt Ferrite
Copper Ferrite
Europium Ferrite
Gadolinium Ferrite
Iron Ferrite

LSCF (Lanthanum Strontium Cobaltite Ferrite)
LSF (Lanthanum Strontium Ferrite)
Lithium Ferrite
Magnesium Ferrite
Manganese Ferrite

Nickel Ferrite
Samarium Ferrite
Sodium Ferrite
Strontium Ferrite
Yttrium Ferrite