Clean earth magnets for electric vehicles and wind turbines

                                                                     (image source - Canva )

Did you know rare earth elements such as neodymium and dysprosium are critical components in electric appliances and vehicles? These elements are in high demand and are expected to increase sevenfold by 2050. The International Energy Agency predicts that rare earth metal demand for electric vehicles alone could increase 15-fold by 2040. But it's not just clean energy technologies that rely on these elements. With increased access to electricity and cheap electronics, the demand for rare earth metals is set to rise across other sectors too. There is an urgent need for clean earth magnets such as iron nitride.

1. Timeline for Iron nitride development

Iron nitride was discovered in the 1950s, but the strong magnetic properties of its alpha double prime phase were only discovered in the 1970s. Despite the difficulty in understanding the physics underlying the material's magnetic properties and the challenge of recreating magnetic samples reliably through the 1990s, Jian-Ping Wang was undeterred and continued working on iron nitride materials at the University of Minnesota. After years of hard work, Wang finally cracked the code to reliably make iron nitride materials in thin films and presented his findings at a major conference in 2010. This remarkable achievement is a testament to Wang's perseverance and dedication to scientific advancement.

2. Rare earth elements magnet vs ferrite magnet

Do you know what makes neodymium-based magnets so much stronger than ferrite magnets? The answer lies in rare earth metals. Discovered in the 1960s, these metals represent a significant improvement in the energy density of magnets. While ferrite magnets have an MGOe of around 5, neodymium-based magnets can reach around 50 MGOe.

Rare earth metals like neodymium and dysprosium can help arrange iron atoms in a way that generates powerful magnets. Permanent magnets produce magnetic fields because of spinning electrons, and small charged particles in atoms. The more free electrons that spin in the same direction, the stronger the magnetic field.

Iron nitride is a material that can arrange iron into a structure that gets electrons spinning together in this way, without requiring rare earth metals. If we can harness this material and spread out the irons with nitrogen in the right way, we can potentially create a really, really good permanent magnet. However, creating these materials in bulk and getting them to retain their magnetization has proven to be a challenge. With continued research and development, we may be able to find a solution to this challenge and create magnets that are even more powerful and efficient than those we currently use.

3. Creating Iron nitride based magnet in bulk

Iron nitride could potentially create stronger magnets than the ones we currently use. Niron Magnetics has been working on producing iron nitride in bulk to make this possible. However, creating iron nitride in bulk has been a challenge because it breaks down at high temperatures. The company has developed several methods to make iron nitride in bulk, one of which involves diffusing nitrogen through iron oxide. Iron nitride magnets currently have a magnet strength of around 10 MGOe, which is enough for use in devices like speakers. The company is working to improve this to 20 to 30 MGOe, which could make iron nitride magnets useful for electric vehicles and wind turbines. Niron has received over $100 million in funding from investors, including GM Ventures and Stellantis Ventures. The company is aiming to reach a production capacity of 1,000 kilograms by the end of 2024. Niron's work could help reduce the bottleneck in creating vital climate technologies.

4. General Motors to collaborate with Niron Magnetics

General Motors and the technology company Niron have joined hands to collaborate on the development of Clean Earth Magnet® technology for the automaker’s upcoming electric vehicles. In a strategic partnership agreement, General Motors invested in Niron, demonstrating its commitment to sustainable and eco-friendly manufacturing practices. As part of this agreement, Niron will receive support from General Motors for the manufacturing and commercialization of the Clean Earth Magnet® motor technology. This innovative technology promises to revolutionize the automotive industry by reducing the carbon footprint and promoting sustainable practices.