Neodymium magnet, because its powerful magnetic energy product (BHmax) surpasses SMCo magnet, has been widely used in electronic products such as hard disks, mobile phones and headphones, and has become the most commonly used rare earth magnet at present. However, it is worth noting that sintered NdFeB magnets are vulnerable to corrosion. In order to solve this problem, we will carry out surface coating treatment before the magnet is used, among which zinc plating and nickel plating are the most common. Then, what is the difference between zinc plating and nickel plating in neodymium magnet?
Galvanizing and Nickel Plating: Two Treatment Methods in neodymium magnet
1. Price considerations
First of all, in terms of price, zinc plating has certain advantages. On the whole, from low to high, the price of magnet electroplating is zinc plating, nickel plating and chromium plating.
2. Surface polishing effect
If we consider polishing, then nickel plating will be a better choice. Because the polishing property of nickel is better than that of zinc, the appearance of nickel-plated neodymium magnet is brighter, like a shiny coin.
3. Coating thickness
Compared with zinc plating and nickel plating, the thickness of nickel plating is obviously larger. Generally speaking, the coating thickness of white zinc is about 5-10um, while that of nickel-copper-nickel is 15-25um.
4. Functional performance
In terms of performance, the temperature resistance of nickel-plated magnets is significantly improved, and the excellent conductivity of nickel itself can also add an advantage to magnets.
5. Anti-rust ability
Finally, let’s look at the antirust ability. In this respect, the performance of zinc plating is average, while nickel plating has good antirust performance. Of course, if the ultimate antirust ability is pursued, then chromium plating is undoubtedly the best choice.
Generally speaking, the choice of zinc plating or nickel plating mainly depends on the use environment of magnets. If your use environment has higher requirements, we recommend using neodymium magnet with nickel plating.