Insulated Iron Powders for Automotive Applications

Insulated iron powders developed for AC or pulsed DC applications may soon find their niche in low frequency automotive applications such as accessory motors and sensors. These materials are produced from a pure iron powder in which the particles are insulated from each other using different dielectrics. Among the interesting attributes of these materials is the possibility to engineer their composition and processing to specifically meet application requirements. For instance, in the case of an iron-resin material system, the iron particle size may be varied as well as the amount of thermoset resin. In certain cases, a lubricant can be added or even totally replace the resin in order to ease the pressing.

This paper discusses the effect of composition and processing technique on the properties of insulated iron materials. The physical, mechanical, and magnetic properties of these materials are presented together with their potential automotive applications.