Development of high-performance soft magnetic composites: influence of binder, CIP content, and nanocrystalline alloy powder size

Abstract

This study systematically investigates the effects of binder content, carbonyl iron powder (CIP) content, and FeSiAl nanocrystalline powder particle size on the permeability and core loss of soft magnetic composites (SMCs) for power inductor applications. Unlike previous studies that primarily focus on either composition control or magnetic performance optimization, this research integrates both aspects to develop high-performance SMCs with enhanced magnetic efficiency. The permeability and core loss were quantitatively evaluated, and improvements were assessed by comparing different parameter combinations. The optimized composites, incorporating 40–70 wt% CIP and 1.8–5.0 wt% binder, achieved superior permeability (38.2) and low core loss (286 mW/cm³ at 100 kHz), making them highly suitable for high-frequency power inductors. The results demonstrate that optimizing the binder content, CIP ratio, and nanocrystalline FeSiAl powder particle size significantly enhances magnetic properties while maintaining mechanical integrity. This study provides valuable insights into the development of advanced SMCs, offering practical improvements in energy efficiency for modern electronic devices.