Effects of microstructural heterogeneity on the mechanical properties of pressed soft magnetic composite bodies

The elastic and damping properties of two different soft magnetic composite (SMC) materials processed by a powder metallurgy route (Somaloy ™ 500 + 0.5 wt.% Kenolube and Somaloy ™ 500 + 0.6 wt.% LB1) have been characterised by means of non-destructive resonant vibration analysis, using the impulse excitation technique (IET). Microstructural characterisation by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was carried out in order to understand the structural heterogeneity revealed with IET. A simple structural finite element model confirmed the link between microstructural heterogeneity of the SMC bodies and their vibration behaviour.