Magnetic hysteresis in ferromagnetic materials
Sajag Kumar (2011143)1, ∗
1
School of Physical Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar 752050, India
(Dated: November 17, 2021)
In this experiment, we study the relation between magnetisation and external magnetic field for
a ferromagnetic material. Ferromagnetic materials show magnetic hysteresis, we plot the hysteresis
loop for our sample and find the values of remanance (Br ) = 779 G, coercivity = −403 G and
saturation magnetisation = 4680 G. We then eliminate the remnant magnetic field (degauss) from
the sample by applying changing magnetic fields with decreasing amplitude. We also plot a curve
between Br and B during degaussing.
I. INTRODUCTION
Magnetic induction in a material is given by:
B = µo (H + M) (1)
where, H is the intensity of applied external magnetic
field, µo = 4π × 10−7 Hm−1 and M is the magnetisation
or dipolar magnetic moment per unit volume of the mag-
netic material. Magnetism in matter is broadly classified
into three categories:
1. Diamagnetism: Atoms of the material do not
FIG. 1. The magnetic hysteresis loop (B-H curve for ferro-
have any unpaired electrons and hence no magnetic
magnetic materials).
moment.
2. Paramagnetism: Atoms of the material have ran-
domly oriented magnetic moments. specific to the material. This temperature is called Curie
temperature (TC ). Examples of ferromagnetic materials
3. Ferromagnetism: Atoms of the material have are iron, cobalt and nickel.
parallelly oriented magnetic moments.
A. Ferromagnetic Materials B. Hysteresis
Ferromagnetic substances are those which gets The relation between B and H in ferromagnetic mate-
strongly magnetised when placed in an external magnetic rials is non-linear. The relation depends on the history
field. They have strong tendency to move from a region of of the sample. FIG. 1 depicts the behaviour of the ma-
weak magnetic field to strong magnetic field, i.e., they get terial as it is taken through one cycle of magnetisation.
strongly attracted to a magnet. The individual atoms (or Let the sample be unmagnetised initially. The magnetic
ions or molecules) in a ferromagnetic material possess a field B in the material rises and saturates as depicted in
dipole moment as in a paramagnetic material. However, the curve ab. This curve represents the alignment and
they interact with one another in such a way that they merger of domains until no further enhancement is pos-
spontaneously align themselves in a common direction sible. The external magnetic intensity H is reduced to
over a macroscopic volume called domain. . In the first zero. This is depicted in the curve bc. The value of B at
instant, the magnetisation varies randomly from domain this point is called retentivity or remanence. This non-
to domain and there is no bulk magnetisation. When we zero B is due to the fact that the domains are not yet
apply an external magnetic field all the domains sponta- completely randomised even though the external field is
neously align themselves in the direction of this external removed. H is increased in the opposite direction so that
magnetic field. This process is called spontaneous mag- B reaches zero. This is depicted in the curve cd. The
netisation. The magnetic susceptibility of ferromagnetic value of H at this point is called coercivity. As H is
materials is very high. Ferromagnetism is temperature increased in opposite direction even further, saturation
dependent nad exists in a material below a temperature is achieved. The saturated B equal in magnitude with
the previous saturation. In the curves cf and f b, H was
reduced and its direction was reversed respectively. The
curve followed a different path. This cycle repeats if the
∗ [email protected] material is magnetised again. This shows that for a given
2
IV. RESULTS
B (in Gauss)
Recorded Data
4000
2000
FIG. 2. B-H curve through the procedure of degaussing. 0
−2000
value of H, B does not have a unique value, it depends on −4000
the history of the magnetic material. This phenomenon
is called hysteresis. −6000 −4000 −2000 0 2000 4000 6000
H (in A/m)
C. Degaussing FIG. 3. The magnetic hysteresis loop for our iron core sample.
Degaussing is the process of decreasing or eliminating
the remnant magnetic field present in a ferromagnetic
material due to hysteresis. The domain walls gets pinned
to the state in which they were when an external field was
applied. When we hammer, anneal or apply an oscillating
external magnetic field the domain walls get unpinned
from their previous states and the domain boundaries
move back to lower energy configurations.
II. APPARATUS
The following apparatus were used for the experiment:
1. Iron core.
FIG. 4. B vs Br curve during degaussing.
2. Pair of coils (600 turns each). (The current in these
must never cross 2A.)
From FIG 3., remanence = 779 G, coercivity = −403
3. DC power supply. G and saturation magnetisation = 4680 G.
4. Digital gauss meter with hall probe.
V. CONCLUSION
5. Reversible switch.
We make obtained a fairly good magnetic hysteresis
6. Connecting wires. loop as in FIG. 3 and degaussing curve as in FIG. 4. The
values of the parameters that we wanted to find are:
III. OBSERVATIONS 1. Remenance = 779 G.
2. Coercivity = -403 G.
1. Number of turns in the coil = 600.
3. Saturation magnetisation = 4680 G.
2. Average field line length for the sample = 232 mm.
We indeed have found that the magnetic property of a
3. Observation tables i.e. TABLE I. and TABLE II. ferromagnetic material depends on its history. We also
are present on page 3. and page 4. respectively. ensure that indeed applying changing magnetic fields in
changing directions can eliminate the remnant magnetic
field present in ferromagnetic materials.
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Sl. No. I (A) B (Gauss) H (A/m) Sl. No. I (A) B (Gauss) H (A/m)
1 0 0 0 51 -1.01 -3050 -2612.068966
2 0.1 238 258.6206897 52 -1.12 -3280 -2896.551724
3 0.2 664 517.2413793 53 -1.21 -3470 -3129.310345
4 0.3 1094 775.862069 54 -1.3 -3640 -3362.068966
5 0.41 1504 1060.344828 55 -1.4 -3810 -3620.689655
6 0.5 1821 1293.103448 56 -1.5 -3990 -3879.310345
7 0.6 2150 1551.724138 57 -1.6 -4140 -4137.931034
8 0.7 2400 1810.344828 58 -1.71 -4310 -4422.413793
9 0.8 2670 2068.965517 59 -1.81 -4440 -4681.034483
10 0.9 2890 2327.586207 60 -1.9 -4570 -4913.793103
11 1 3100 2586.206897 61 -2 -4680 -5172.413793
12 1.12 3340 2896.551724 62 -1.9 -4620 -4913.793103
13 1.2 3480 3103.448276 63 -1.8 -4530 -4655.172414
14 1.3 3650 3362.068966 64 -1.67 -4420 -4318.965517
15 1.4 3820 3620.689655 65 -1.58 -4340 -4086.206897
16 1.5 3980 3879.310345 66 -1.49 -4250 -3853.448276
17 1.61 4130 4163.793103 67 -1.39 -4140 -3594.827586
18 1.7 4260 4396.551724 68 -1.29 -4020 -3336.206897
19 1.8 4410 4655.172414 69 -1.2 -3910 -3103.448276
20 1.9 4530 4913.793103 70 -1.08 -3750 -2793.103448
21 2 4660 5172.413793 71 -0.99 -3610 -2560.344828
22 1.89 4590 4887.931034 72 -0.88 -3430 -2275.862069
23 1.8 4520 4655.172414 73 -0.8 -3300 -2068.965517
24 1.68 4420 4344.827586 74 -0.7 -3100 -1810.344828
25 1.6 4350 4137.931034 75 -0.61 -2920 -1577.586207
26 1.5 4250 3879.310345 76 -0.5 -2650 -1293.103448
27 1.4 4140 3620.689655 77 -0.38 -2310 -982.7586207
28 1.3 4020 3362.068966 78 -0.24 -1880 -620.6896552
29 1.19 3880 3077.586207 79 -0.2 -1730 -517.2413793
30 1.06 3705 2741.37931 80 -0.1 -1295 -258.6206897
31 1 3620 2586.206897 81 -0.04 -1003 -103.4482759
32 0.9 3450 2327.586207 82 0.11 -540 284.4827586
33 0.8 3280 2068.965517 83 0.2 -5 517.2413793
34 0.7 3090 1810.344828 84 0.31 464 801.7241379
35 0.59 2860 1525.862069 85 0.41 910 1060.344828
36 0.5 2630 1293.103448 86 0.5 1347 1293.103448
37 0.4 2370 1034.482759 87 0.6 1750 1551.724138
38 0.29 2040 750 88 0.7 2180 1810.344828
39 0.2 1720 517.2413793 89 0.8 2580 2068.965517
40 0.1 1283 258.6206897 90 0.9 2830 2327.586207
41 0 779 0 91 1 3070 2586.206897
42 -0.13 120 -336.2068966 92 1.1 3290 2844.827586
43 -0.21 -254 -543.1034483 93 1.2 3500 3103.448276
44 -0.3 -683 -775.862069 94 1.28 3680 3310.344828
45 -0.4 -1072 -1034.482759 95 1.41 3880 3646.551724
46 -0.5 -1509 -1293.103448 96 1.49 4005 3853.448276
47 -0.62 -1924 -1603.448276 97 1.58 4130 4086.206897
48 -0.7 -2190 -1810.344828 98 1.71 4310 4422.413793
49 -0.81 -2540 -2094.827586 99 1.8 4430 4655.172414
50 -0.9 -2760 -2327.586207 100 1.9 4560 4913.793103
51 -1.01 -3050 -2612.068966 101 2 4680 5172.413793
TABLE I. Observation table for magnetic hysteresis loop.
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B (Gauss) Br (Gauss)
4470 820
-4310 890
3940 800
-3770 870
3370 750
-3040 820
2480 670
-2050 680
1210 390
-574 225
385 164
-337 136
40 0
TABLE II. Data for degaussing curve.
[1] D. J. Griffiths, Introduction to Electrodynamics, 3rd ed. Bhubaneswar.
(Prentice Hall, 1999). [3] J. R. Taylor, An Introduction to Error Analysis, 2nd ed.
[2] Study of magnetic hysteresis in ferromagnetic materials, (University Science Books, 1997).
National Institute of Science Education and Research
