Magnet Shorthand: Are Neo Magnets and NdFeB Magnets the Same?

　　We occasionally receive inquiries and manufacturing prints that use the acronym Neo to identify the shape of a custom magnet. Because of shorthand-whether internally or in discussions with customers-we sometimes refer to neodymium magnets as Neo or NdFeB. Among rare earth element magnets, Neo magnets are the most commonly used because their mass has the highest known energy product. One might think that the Neo name means "new"-this may be a reasonable assumption because they were originally created in 1984 at a relatively new time. However, the abbreviated name actually comes from the element Neodymium-or Nd.

　　But the naming story has some "new" twists. In 1885, Carl Auer von Welsbach discovered that a substance called (previously misclassified as an element) "Didymium" was actually a mixture of two completely new elements. Welsbach succeeded in reacting bispraseodymium to form nitrate, and then he gradually crystallized it from nitric acid to obtain pink neodymium and green-brown praseodymium salt. Welsbach chose the name praseodymium, which means "green twins" in Greek. The compound of praseodymium is green. Neodymium is named "neos didymos"-"new twins" in Greek, reflecting the close connection between neodymium and praseodymium.

　　Neodymium rectangular magnet Neodymium magnet actually has several different abbreviations, but they all refer to the same magnet. The full name of this rare earth element magnet is neodymium iron boron, so in addition to "new magnet" and "neodymium iron boron magnet", it is sometimes called "NIB magnet". By the way, the complete formula for alloy NdFeB is Nd2Fe14B.

　　As mentioned earlier, Neo magnets provide the largest performance-to-volume ratio and work best at temperatures up to 150º C. Samarium cobalt (or SmCo5) magnets-another commonly used rare earth magnet-are usually more suitable for temperatures above 150º C.

　　It should be noted that Neo magnets usually require protective coatings because they are prone to corrosion. A typical coating for NdFeB magnets is a three-layer coating of nickel, copper and nickel (Ni-Cu-Ni).

　　Whether you call them Neo magnets, NIB, NdFeB or NdFeB magnets, they are all the same high-quality industrial magnets. As with all magnet materials, when selecting neodymium for your application, it is important to use the correct neodymium magnet grade and to understand the physical and environmental operating limits of the magnet.