Can any metal be magnetized like a magnet?

Is there any way to make any metal become magnetic metal such as iron, cobalt and nickel?

The ability to turn metal into a magnetic "magnet"

Of the 91 metals that we know to date, only 3 of them actually have room temperature magnetism : iron, cobalt and nickel . This poses a problem that whenever we want to build a device that requires magnetic materials such as MRI magnetic resonators, hard drives or wind turbines . we only have 3 choices. meager among metals.

Is there any way to make any metal become a magnetic metal?

Graphic images simulating non-magnetic metal turning effects into magnetism

A group of scientists from Leeds University were able to do this. Initially they made manganese and copper also become a magnetic material. This groundbreaking work has been published in the prestigious Nature Material Science column on material science. Although the magnetism is relatively weak, this is a promising research direction. Scientists think that in this way they can turn any metal into magnetic metal.

' Being able to turn a metal into a magnetic metal will open a new path for devices that use magnetic materials. We can easily get more and less toxic sources such as copper and carbon , 'said Fatma Al Ma'Mari, research co-author from the University of Leeds.

'Future devices like quantum computers will require a new magnetic material to increase storage and processing capabilities. Our research is an important step towards creating 'magnetic metamaterials' to meet this need .'

In fact, almost all metals respond temporarily to magnetic fields they can be paramagnetic or magnetic. However, these metals are non-magnetic metals, only ferromagnetic iron, cobalt and nickel. Ferromagnetic properties are an important property and have many applications ranging from making permanent magnets to transformer cores, magnetic cards, hard drives, wind turbines .

In the work of scientists, they made a very thin layer of copper and manganese and were encased in a layer of organic molecules with a special shape. Those are Buckyballs with 60 carbon atoms and about 1 nanometer thick. The purpose of this is to remove some electrons from the metal. This allows them to pass Stoner standards and become magnetic metals. Standard Stoner is a barrier to a material with or without ferromagnetic properties.

Buckyball structure with 60 Carbon atoms

Co-author of the study, Oscar Cespedes from Leeds University told IFLScience that magnetism that copper and manganese achieved is still very small. In the case of copper, its ferromagnetic properties are only one part of 10 nickel, 30 times weaker than iron. Manganese is only half as much as copper.

Besides, they also discovered a reason why their ferromagnetism lost over time. It is oxidation , when oxygen in the air combines with copper and manganese to form oxide. Researchers also found that copper would be more oxidized than manganese.

However, the biggest thing the team faces is the size issue. There are special phenomena that occur only when materials are in nanoscale and this magnetic effect is one of them. As long as the metal film reaches a millimeter size, this effect will disappear. However, Cespedes said there could be a solution to this problem. They dissolve Bukyball balls or carbon nanotubes in molten metal. This can also create the effect of removing electrons from the metal.

There may be more environmentally friendly magnetic materials for hard drives

Talking about the potential application of this groundbreaking research, Cespedes is very optimistic. He said research could pave the way for the use of environmentally friendly magnetic materials. Typically storing data with magnetic drives. Hopefully in the near future, scientists can improve the performance of this unique transformation process and apply them to life. There will be a day when magnets can attract any metal.