Advantages Of Amorphous Metal Alloys

As mankind’s exploration of materials science continues to deepen, amorphous materials have gradually become an emerging branch in the field of materials science. Unlike traditional crystalline metals, these alloys lack a unique crystal structure. Amorphous materials have extremely important application value in the field of motor core production.

In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the unique advantages of amorphous metal alloys, revealing their energy saving, mechanical, electrical, and corrosion-resistant properties.

What is Amorphous Metal Alloys

amorphous metal alloy

Amorphous metals, also known as metallic glasses, represent a distinctive class of materials characterized by their non-crystalline nature. 

Unlike their crystalline counterparts,  most amorphous metals are alloys rather than pure metals. Amorphous alloys lack the long-range order in atomic arrangement, resulting in unique physical and chemical properties.

Amorphous alloys that have random atom arrangements in a solid state are obtained by rapid quenching techniques with a cooling rate of 105–106 K/s from molten metal. Due to the requirement of a fast cooling rate, the shapes are limited to thin films, thin strips, and powder. 

Amorphous alloys are relatively used in wound cores made from strips or powder materials.

Advantages Of Amorphous Alloys

advantages of amorphous metal

High Efficiency And Energy Saving

Due to the low-loss characteristics of amorphous alloy materials, the iron loss of motors manufactured using this material as the core is much smaller than that of traditional silicon steel core motors.

The loss of amorphous alloy materials at medium and high frequencies is only equivalent to 1/8 to 1/10 of ordinary silicon steel sheets, and the higher the frequency, the more obvious the trend.

Therefore, the efficiency of amorphous motors is higher than that of traditional motors. Especially when used in medium and high frequency applications, the operating efficiency of the motor can be more than 5% higher, and the energy saving effect is very obvious.

Mechanical Properties

One of the primary advantages of amorphous metal alloys lies in their outstanding mechanical properties. These alloys exhibit high high yield strength and hardness, surpassing many crystalline metals.

Amorphous metal alloys showcase improved wear resistance. Their unique structure minimizes wear and tear, making them suitable for components subjected to friction and abrasion.

Electrical Properties

High magnetic permeability: The electrical conductivity of amorphous alloy is high, and the magnetic permeability is also increased accordingly, which has better performance under high-frequency conditions.

Low hysteresis loss: Amorphous alloy has low hysteresis loss and can achieve higher efficiency.

Low loss: The resistivity of the amorphous alloy is higher than that of crystalline metal, resulting in lower eddy current loss.

Good stability: Amorphous alloy has high stability and will not undergo magnetic changes due to temperature changes.

Corrosion Resistance

Corrosion poses a significant challenge for many materials, leading to degradation and reduced lifespan. Amorphous metal alloys, however, exhibit exceptional resistance to oxidation and corrosion.

Industries such as marine, chemical, and oil and gas benefit from the longevity of amorphous alloys in corrosive conditions.

Applications Industries

amorphous alloys motor application

The advantages of amorphous metal alloys find diverse applications across various industries, each benefiting from the unique properties of these materials.

Aerospace

Weight reduction and durability are paramount for the aerospace industry, amorphous metal alloys offer lightweight yet robust components. Their high strength-to-weight ratio contributes to fuel efficiency and enhances the overall performance of aerospace systems.

Electronics

The electronics industry embraces amorphous metal alloys for their magnetic properties, which are crucial for high-performance magnetic components. Additionally, the potential for miniaturization due to the unique characteristics of these alloys opens new possibilities in electronics design and manufacturing.

Automotive Industry

Amorphous motor laminations find applications in electric and hybrid vehicles. The lightweight and high magnetic permeability of these metals contributes to enhanced motor efficiency.

Power Tools And Appliances

Amorphous magnetic metals are gaining traction in the manufacturing of household appliances and consumer electronics. Their magnetic properties make them suitable for various applications, ensuring efficient operation in devices like refrigerators and power tools.

Industrial Machinery

Amorphous motors play a pivotal role in robotics and manufacturing equipment. Amorphous materials are used instead of silicon steel as the stator core part of the motor.

Medical

Amorphous metal alloys exhibit biocompatibility, making them suitable for medical applications. Implants and medical devices benefit from the corrosion resistance and biocompatible nature of these alloys, ensuring patient safety and longevity of medical implants.

Challenges and Future Developments

The utilization of amorphous metals in the manufacturing of electric motor stator rotor laminations has gained attention for their superior magnetic properties, offering high permeability and minimal eddy current losses.

Despite these advantages, challenges arise in processing amorphous metals into traditional motor structures due to their extreme thinness (25 microns) and high hardness.

The risk of potential shorts between laminations when stacking numerous layers further complicates the manufacturing process.

A promising approach involves constructing axial motor stators from wound conical forms of amorphous metal ribbons using waterjet cutting, showing potential in overcoming the difficulties associated with handling thin and hard amorphous materials.

Conclusion

Amorphous alloy is a material with many advantages, can be used in different fields, and has broad market prospects. In the future, with the continuous advancement of science and technology, amorphous alloys will be used in more fields and become a new type of material that has attracted widespread attention.

FAQS

What are the key properties of amorphous metal alloys?

Amorphous metals exhibit properties such as high tensile strength, excellent corrosion resistance, good magnetic properties, and unique mechanical characteristics. They can also have a high elastic limit and be more resistant to wear compared to traditional metals.

In what applications are amorphous metal alloys used?

Amorphous metal alloys find applications in various industries, including new energy vehicles, power tools, electronics, aerospace, medical devices, and consumer goods. They are used in the production of components such as transformers, sensors, magnetic cores, and even sports equipment.

Do amorphous metal alloys have magnetic properties?

Yes, amorphous metal alloys have high magnetic properties and high resistivity, including soft magnetic behavior. This makes them suitable for applications in magnetic cores for transformers and other electronic devices.

Are amorphous metal alloys more expensive than traditional metals?

The production of amorphous metal alloys can be more expensive due to the specialized manufacturing processes involved. However, the unique properties they offer may justify the cost in specific applications where traditional metals fall short.

Try to contact us for high-quality motor cores in China.