|
Risheng Magnets International Co., Ltd.
|
Blog
Can Rare Earth Magnets Be Used Outdoors?
Rare Earth magnets are popularly used for a number of applications. While they are most commonly used inside, many people have started to wonder if they can be brought outside and used there as well. While you may be able to get away with bringing your neodymium magnets outside for short periods of time, or keeping them outside if you live in the driest of deserts, the simple answer is no, you cannot generally use rare earth magnets outdoors.
There are a number of reasons why you should not bring rare earth magnets outside. Being exposed leaves them more susceptible to theft or accidental loss. Their natural appearance means that it can be hard to find them if they somehow get buried in the earth. The biggest and most important reason that you should never bring your magnets outside, however, is that dFeB magnets are incredibly susceptible to corrosion.
Left without shelter, corrosion can attack your magnets on two fronts. First is the iron. Did you know that "Fe" is the chemical symbol for iron? The "Fe" in the name of NdFeB magnets indicates that iron is one of their main components. While iron is known for its strength and its powerful magnetic properties, there is one thing that can cause it to break down: moisture. The sad truth is that iron rusts easily and leaving your magnets outdoors will most likely cause them to rust.
In order to combat the possibility of rusting, most companies that manufacture magnets coat their products in nickel, zinc, gold or epoxy. These substances prevent moisture from reaching the iron and prevent the magnets from rusting. In many cases, however, especially if you are dealing with surplus magnets, the coating becomes chipped or cracked. Even cracks that are difficult to detect may allow enough moisture through to cause your magnet to rust. If you leave your magnets outdoors, they could be subjected to both direct moisture from precipitation, or to general humidity in the air. If any moisture is allowed to reach the iron core of you neodymium magnets, you could end up with a rusted, useless product that cannot be used indoors or out.
If you insist on using your rare earth magnets outdoors, you should make sure to carefully inspect their outer coating and check for chips or even hairline cracks. Even if your magnets look in tact, you should bring them inside as soon as it becomes damp outdoors. That said, the only way to protect your magnets for good is to keep them inside. Although you may get away with using them outside for a while, the damp will inevitably cause them to rust in the end.
