Printable Nanocomposites with Superparamagnetic Maghemite ($\gamma$-Fe$_2$O$_3$) Particles for Microinductor-core Applications

TL;DR

This paper introduces printable nanocomposites with superparamagnetic maghemite particles suitable for microinductor cores, demonstrating high magnetic susceptibility, low hysteresis, and potential for integration into microfabrication processes.

Contribution

It presents a new printable magnetic nanocomposite with well-dispersed superparamagnetic particles, suitable for microinductor applications, with detailed magnetic characterization and fabrication demonstrations.

Findings

High magnetic volume susceptibility (up to 17)

Negligible hysteresis at low frequency

Eddy current-free and suitable for microfabrication

Abstract

We here present printable and castable magnetic nanocomposites containing superparamagnetic 11$\pm$3 nm $\gamma$-Fe$_2$O$_3$ particles in an insulating poly-vinyl alcohol polymer matrix. The nanocomposites feature well-dispersed particles with volume fractions between 10 and 45 \%, as confirmed by small-angle neutron scattering. The magnetic volume susceptibility is as high as 17, together with negligible hysteresis at low frequency, and constant AC-response up to the high-kHz range. Measured hysteresis curves at 100-900 kHz with up to 110 mT induced $B$-fields in the nanocomposite show that power losses depend on $B$-field squared, and frequency to the power of 1-1.3. The only loss mechanism in the nanocomposite is hysteresis losses at $>$100 kHz frequencies, where the largest particles in the 11$\pm$3 nm distribution transition from the superparamagnetic to blocked regime. To mitigate the resulting hysteresis losses (up 10$^2$-10$^5$ kW/m$^3$) a more narrow particle size distribution could be used for future materials. The presented material is eddy current-free and easily integrated into micro-fabrication protocols, as we demonstrate by fabrication of 3-turn print circuit board based inductors with cast/manual printed nanocomposite inductor cores, on which induction has been measured up to 100 MHz.