This study proposes and elucidates a surface‐modification strategy that simultaneously enhances the permeability, oxidation resistance, and mechanical reliability of soft magnetic composites (SMCs) for next-generation high-frequency power inductors....
This study proposes and elucidates a surface‐modification strategy that simultaneously enhances the permeability, oxidation resistance, and mechanical reliability of soft magnetic composites (SMCs) for next-generation high-frequency power inductors. As power electronics move toward higher frequency and higher power, conventional ferrites are reaching their limit in terms of saturation flux density(Bs). Metal-powder–based SMCs have emerged as promising alternatives, but surface oxide layers, non-uniform interfacial bonding, particle agglomeration, and reduced packing density induce permeability degradation, mechanical weakness, and oxidation-driven performance deterioration.
Using Fe–Si–B amorphous powder (9A4) as a model system, three surface-modification routes were systematically investigated: (i) removal of the surface oxide layer, (ii) formation of a silane-based protective layer, and (iii) graphene oxide (GO) coating.
First, removal of the surface oxide on 9A4 using ammonium thioglycolate (ATG) effectively eliminated surface oxides via reduction and chelation, increasing packing density. As a result, the permeability increased from 24.8 to 27.9 (≈13% improvement), and the hysteresis loss (Ph) decreased. This is attributed to the mitigation of domain-wall pinning by the thick non-magnetic oxide layer, enabling easier domain-wall motion. However, re-oxidation during drying limited the high-temperature stability.
Subsequent coating with methyl tri-methoxy silane(MTMS) formed a thin, uniform Si–O–Si silane network on the particle surface, providing excellent oxidation resistance up to 350 °C. MTMS fundamentally suppressed re-oxidation, reducing the oxygen content to 340 ppm and increasing permeability to 29.4. High-temperature fracture tests (270 °C, DMA three-point bending) showed ore than a twofold increase in strain, indicating markedly improved ductility and heat resistance. This is ascribed to the formation of a flexible yet robust interfacial layer between metal powder and resin, which effectively redistributes external stress.
GO coating also suppressed re-oxidation and improved both permeability and high-temperature fracture strength. Hydrogen bonding between the –OH/–COOH groups of GO and the epoxy resin enhanced interfacial adhesion, while the 2D GO sheets promoted stress distribution and crack suppression, increasing both stress and strain. Nevertheless, GO shrinkage during drying induced interfacial stress, and partial reduction and tunneling-path formation during mixing and compaction degraded electrical insulation, leading to increased eddy current loss.
Overall, this work experimentally demonstrates that an integrated surface-modification strategy—comprising oxide-layer removal, silane coating, and tailored interfacial design—can concurrently improve the key performance metrics of power-inductor SMC cores (permeability, oxidation resistance, and mechanical strength). In particular, MTMS-based silane coating provides a well-balanced combination of magnetic, thermal, and mechanical reliability under high-frequency and high-temperature conditions, highlighting its strong potential for high-efficiency, high-power power-inductor materials. By correlating the microstructure and magnetic properties of SMCs, this study offers practical design guidelines for industrial application of SMC-based power inductors.