Magnetic properties of high permeability NiFeMo/Cu composite wires

The objective of this study is to obtain an optimized layer of NiFeMo in terms of magnetic properties, by electrodeposition, for the application of magnetic sensors. In this study, supermalloy material, NiFeMo, was deposited onto 20 mu m in diameter copper wires by direct current electrodeposition. Various composition ratios of NiFeMo/Cu composite wires were obtained by varying the electrolyte solution concentration and their magnetic properties in terms of hysteresis loop and magnetoimpedance effect were measured. The results show that the optimum composition for supermalloy is Ni78Fe18Mo4. At this composition, the material alloy is magnetically softest, as shown by the lowest longitudinal and circumferential coercivity of 0.88 and 1.04 Oe, respectively, and also by the lowest peak field intensity of 0.80 Oe in the magneto-impedance (MI) effect curve obtained. The magnetic properties of the optimized supermalloy are observed to be superior to that of permalloy, Ni80Fe20, synthesized under the same conditions. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.