Question:
as scrap iron is heated up prior to putting it into an
induction furnace, does it loose it's ability to be picked up by a
magnet? and if so at what temperatures is this loss significant ?
Replies:
Yes, all ferromagnetic materials (materials that can act as permanent
magnets) have a characteristic temperature, called the Curie Point, above
which they can no longer maintain magnetism. The Curie point of iron is
770 degrees C.
Richard Barrans Jr., Ph.D.
Generally, the temperature varies with the material, and is tabulated
as either the Curie temperature or the Neel temperature, depending on
whether or not the material is ferromagnetic. The Curie temperature of
iron is 770 C.
NEWTON is an electronic community for Science, Math, and Computer Science K-12 Educators, sponsored and operated by Argonne National Laboratory's Educational Programs, Andrew Skipor, Ph.D., Head of Educational Programs.