Carbonyl iron
Encyclopedia
Carbonyl iron is a highly pure (97.5% for grade S, 99.5+% for grade R) iron
, prepared by chemical decomposition of purified iron pentacarbonyl
. It usually has the appearance of grey powder, composed of spherical microparticles. Most of the impurities are carbon
, oxygen
, and nitrogen
.
BASF
invented carbonyl iron powder in 1925, and claims to be the world's leading producer. In 1934, BASF was also involved in the development of the very first magnetic tapes used by the AEG Magnetophon
tape recorder: carbonyl iron became the first magnetic recording oxide (although quickly replaced in 1936 by iron oxide).
In electronics
, carbonyl iron is used to manufacture magnetic core
s for high-frequency coils, and in production of some ferrites
. Spherical particles manufactured of carbonyl iron are used as a component of the radar absorbing materials used in military, in stealth
vehicles for example. Other uses are in powder metallurgy
, metal injection molded parts, and in various specialty products.
Powdered cores made of carbonyl iron have high stability of parameters across a wide range of temperatures and magnetic flux
levels, with excellent Q factor
s between 50 kHz and 200 MHz. A popular application is in broadband inductor
s, especially in high-power applications.
In pharmaceutics
, carbonyl iron powder is used to treat iron deficiency
and as an iron dietary supplement
.
Particles of carbonyl iron (20-40%) suspended in a carrier fluid (60-80%) are used as a magnetorheological fluid
.
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
, prepared by chemical decomposition of purified iron pentacarbonyl
Iron pentacarbonyl
Iron pentacarbonyl, also known as iron carbonyl, is the compound with formula 5. Under standard conditions Fe5 is a free-flowing, straw-colored liquid with a pungent odour. This compound is a common precursor to diverse iron compounds, including many that are useful in organic synthesis. Fe5 is...
. It usually has the appearance of grey powder, composed of spherical microparticles. Most of the impurities are carbon
Carbon
Carbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds...
, oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
, and nitrogen
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a chemical element that has the symbol N, atomic number of 7 and atomic mass 14.00674 u. Elemental nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and mostly inert diatomic gas at standard conditions, constituting 78.08% by volume of Earth's atmosphere...
.
BASF
BASF
BASF SE is the largest chemical company in the world and is headquartered in Germany. BASF originally stood for Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik . Today, the four letters are a registered trademark and the company is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange, and Zurich Stock...
invented carbonyl iron powder in 1925, and claims to be the world's leading producer. In 1934, BASF was also involved in the development of the very first magnetic tapes used by the AEG Magnetophon
Magnetophon
Magnetophon was the brand or model name of the pioneering reel-to-reel tape recorder developed by engineers of the German electronics company AEG in the 1930s, based on the magnetic tape invention by Fritz Pfleumer...
tape recorder: carbonyl iron became the first magnetic recording oxide (although quickly replaced in 1936 by iron oxide).
In electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
, carbonyl iron is used to manufacture magnetic core
Magnetic core
A magnetic core is a piece of magnetic material with a high permeability used to confine and guide magnetic fields in electrical, electromechanical and magnetic devices such as electromagnets, transformers, electric motors, inductors and magnetic assemblies. It is made of ferromagnetic metal such...
s for high-frequency coils, and in production of some ferrites
Ferrite (magnet)
Ferrites are chemical compounds consisting of ceramic materials with iron oxide as their principal component. Many of them are magnetic materials and they are used to make permanent magnets, ferrite cores for transformers, and in various other applications.Many ferrites are spinels with the...
. Spherical particles manufactured of carbonyl iron are used as a component of the radar absorbing materials used in military, in stealth
Stealth technology
Stealth technology also termed LO technology is a sub-discipline of military tactics and passive electronic countermeasures, which cover a range of techniques used with personnel, aircraft, ships, submarines, and missiles, to make them less visible to radar, infrared, sonar and other detection...
vehicles for example. Other uses are in powder metallurgy
Powder metallurgy
Powder metallurgy is the process of blending fine powdered materials, pressing them into a desired shape , and then heating the compressed material in a controlled atmosphere to bond the material . The powder metallurgy process generally consists of four basic steps: powder manufacture, powder...
, metal injection molded parts, and in various specialty products.
Powdered cores made of carbonyl iron have high stability of parameters across a wide range of temperatures and magnetic flux
Magnetic flux
Magnetic flux , is a measure of the amount of magnetic B field passing through a given surface . The SI unit of magnetic flux is the weber...
levels, with excellent Q factor
Q factor
In physics and engineering the quality factor or Q factor is a dimensionless parameter that describes how under-damped an oscillator or resonator is, or equivalently, characterizes a resonator's bandwidth relative to its center frequency....
s between 50 kHz and 200 MHz. A popular application is in broadband inductor
Inductor
An inductor is a passive two-terminal electrical component used to store energy in a magnetic field. An inductor's ability to store magnetic energy is measured by its inductance, in units of henries...
s, especially in high-power applications.
In pharmaceutics
Pharmaceutics
Pharmaceutics is the discipline of pharmacy that deals with all facets of the process of turning a new chemical entity into a medication able to be safely and effectively used by patients in the community. Pharmaceutics is the science of dosage form design...
, carbonyl iron powder is used to treat iron deficiency
Iron deficiency (medicine)
Iron deficiency is one of the most common of the nutritional deficiencies. Iron is present in all cells in the human body, and has several vital functions...
and as an iron dietary supplement
Dietary supplement
A dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional supplement, is a preparation intended to supplement the diet and provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids, that may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantities in a person's diet...
.
Particles of carbonyl iron (20-40%) suspended in a carrier fluid (60-80%) are used as a magnetorheological fluid
Magnetorheological fluid
A magnetorheological fluid is a type of smart fluid in a carrier fluid, usually a type of oil. When subjected to a magnetic field, the fluid greatly increases its apparent viscosity, to the point of becoming a viscoelastic solid. Importantly, the yield stress of the fluid when in its active state...
.