What is alloy and which one should I choose?

An alloy or coating is a mixture of two elements, one of which must be a metal. The purpose of an alloy is typically to achieve an effect that the elements do not have individually. For example, by changing the strength, hardness or melting point.

Neodymium magnets consist of a mixture of neodymium, iron and boron. Without a protective coating, the materials react quickly and strongly with oxygen from the air, resulting in the magnet corroding. To avoid the corrosion process, neodymium magnets are treated with a protective coating. At Brisingi, this will typically be a triple alloy consisting of nickel-copper-nickel. In some cases, it is instead a nickel-copper-nickel-gold alloy. A gold alloy is neither worse nor better than a nickel alloy, but can be an advantage to avoid nickel allergy if the magnet is to be in contact with the skin.

An alloy of nickel, gold, silver and the like is about 20 micrometers thick. This is sufficient to protect against corrosion, but it is not sufficient if the magnet is exposed to hard impacts, abrasion or humid environments. In such situations, magnets with a thick protective rubber coating or possibly Teflon are recommended. The thick rubber coating also ensures that the magnet stands firmly on smooth surfaces and does not slip off the surface.

• Nickel-copper-nickel
  The most widely used alloy. Provides good protection against corrosion, but does not withstand hard impacts or heavy wear. Be aware of nickel allergy if the magnets are to be used for jewelry that comes into contact with the skin, for example.
• Nickel-copper-nickel-gold
  The most common alloy. Provides good protection against corrosion, but does not withstand hard impacts or heavy wear. Reduces the risk of nickel allergy, but be aware that the thin gold alloy can wear off over time and expose the underlying nickel. This is only an issue for those with nickel allergies.
• Nickel-copper-nickel-rubber
  A regular magnet with a nickel-copper-nickel alloy is encased in a thick sheath of rubber. This provides a durable magnet that has low friction on smooth surfaces. If the magnet is to be used outdoors, it is required that the rubber covers the magnet 100%. Some types of pot magnets are covered with rubber, but there is a hole in the rubber to put a screw through, for example. In such cases, the magnet is not recommended for outdoor use.
• Nickel-copper-nickel-chrome
  Chrome is harder than nickel and therefore offers slightly better protection. You'll find chrome alloy on ball magnets.
• Zinc
  An all-zinc alloy gives a grayish surface and does not protect as well as nickel. Zinc can rub off slightly on the skin (dark spots).
• Teflon
  A pure Teflon coating without Ni-Cu-Ni provides good protection against water and scratches. Teflon has some requirements for which magnets can be coated as they must not be too small or have inaccessible areas (such as the inner hole in small ring magnets).

If you need magnets with other alloys than the ones you find in the shop, you are always welcome to contact us.