Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why are metallic glass ribbons useful for electrical transformer cores?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
amorphous solid
Learn about the chemistry of contact lenses and why it is important to keep them clean.
Metallic glass ribbons are highly effective for use in transformer-core laminations due to three primary attributes: ease of manufacture, magnetic softness, and high electrical resistance.1
Their utility stems from the following factors:
- Magnetic Softness: These materials are easily magnetized by small magnetic fields, which is essential for efficient operation.1
- High Electrical Resistance: A direct result of their disordered, amorphous atomic structure, this high resistance minimizes unwanted electrical eddy currents, significantly reducing power losses.1
- Energy Efficiency: Because they are magnetically soft, they exhibit narrow hysteresis loops, which ensures that minimal energy is wasted as heat during the magnetization cycle.12
By reducing both eddy current losses and hysteresis losses, these ribbons help minimize overall core loss, making them an ideal choice for electrical power applications.13