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Magnets

  • 03-06-2008 12:30PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 100 ✭✭


    hi all
    I am doing a project and we are looking to make floating wheels using magnet.

    Now i need your help.
    What is the lightest, magnetic material?

    I mean really light as in 2grams/cm^3

    Many Thanks!
    Sean


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,737 ✭✭✭mawk


    http://www.lmt.uab.es/docs/docs/papers/2003/2003APL82_4307.pdf

    lab in Barcelona invented these, ferro magnets mixed with aerogels. ranging from 0.14 to 0.22 g/cm^3.

    thats preeeety light. also transparent which is interesting.


    pdf above explains about them, http://www.uab.es/ there is the lab's address. id say contact them about procurement


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 100 ✭✭blacklionboy


    Thanks!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 744 ✭✭✭Darren1o1


    Try have a look at the technology behind the maglev. Also some interesting stuff with magnetics include magneto rheological fluids and electro rheological fluids. Depending on how detailed you get you could build some pretty decent FEA models relatively easily. Have a look out for FEMM, it is a pretty decent 2D FEA package for magnetic applications.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,737 ✭✭✭mawk


    as a different solution, why not use some electro magnets and just make a nice strong magnetic field as opposed to using very light natural magnets? gotta be easier, or at least cheaper


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 100 ✭✭blacklionboy


    wont the battery weigh too much though?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,737 ✭✭✭mawk


    well depends on how heavy the floating object is, how high it needs to float and for how long. button cells could give a high-ish voltage, just not for a long time.

    why not use a permanent natural rare earth magnet for the floater and a repulsive electromagnet for the frame. then you dont need to life the weight on the battery

    OR;

    put a north charge on a high plate and a south charge on a low plate and make the wheel out of anything ferrous. the two magnet sides can pull it and push it respectively and make it float between the two plates. but that would probably take a proximity sensor and a micro controller to adjust the magnets. itd be cool though..


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,467 ✭✭✭Wazdakka


    Might be a bit late but I only just saw this..

    Could be of some help
    Dirt cheap, very strong magnets, just scroll down a bit on the page..
    http://www.dealextreme.com/search.dx/search.magnet


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