Hematine Magnet

Hematine is a synthetic material designed to provide a strong and reliable magnetic solution where natural materials fall short. While it is often visually mistaken for hematite, a crystalline form of iron oxide, hematine is far superior magnetically. In fact, natural hematite is antiferromagnetic, so its magnetic moments cancel out, making it an extremely weak magnet. Hematine consists of a composite of magnetic iron oxides blended with metallic oxides and processed through sintering and magnetization. This involves heating iron oxide powders with additives such as barium or strontium carbonate to high temperatures to create a dense, ceramic-like structure. The material is then magnetized by aligning its domains in a strong magnetic field, resulting in permanent magnetism. Pairs of hematine magnets often “rattle” due to a combination of their strong magnetic forces and the mechanical interactions between their surfaces. These interactions generate oscillations, leading to a distinc