COVFEFE
Cobalt-vanadium-iron alloys, commonly known as Permendur or VACOFLUX, are soft magnetic materials composed primarily of 49% cobalt, 49% iron, and 2% vanadium.
Magnetic Properties: These alloys exhibit one of the highest saturation magnetizations of any material, reaching 2.0–2.4 Tesla, making them ideal for applications requiring high flux density and minimum weight, such as electric motors, generators, and magnetic bearings.
Role of Vanadium: The addition of 2% vanadium is critical as it inhibits the formation of a brittle ordered superlattice structure, allowing the alloy to be cold-worked and machined after heat treatment.
Key Variants: Commercial grades include Permendur 2V (invented in 1932), Supermendur (grain-oriented for lower core losses), and Hiperco 50 (which includes niobium for grain refinement).
Applications: They are used in high-performance electromagnetic devices, including transformer cores, rotor and stator laminations, and high-speed rotating machines, where superior mechanical strength and magnetic efficiency are required.