Classification of Magnetic Materials Based on Atomic Magnetic Moments

CLASSIFICATION OF MAGNETIC MATERIALS BASED ON ATOMIC MAGNETIC MOMENTS

Magnetic materials are classified according to the presence or absence of the permanent magnetic dipoles. Generally, every two electrons in an energy state of an atom will form a pair with opposite spins. Thus the resultant spin magnetic moment is zero. Hence they don't have permanent magnetic moments and they are called as diamagnetic materials. Examples. gold, germanium, silicon, etc.

But in some magnetic materials like iron, cobalt, etc., there exists unpaired electrons. The spin magnetic moment of these unpaired electrons interact with the adjacent atom's unpaired electron spin magnetic moment in a parallel manner resulting in enormous permanent spin magnetic moment. These materials are classified into paramagnetic, ferromagnetic and ferrimagnetic materials with respect to the electron spins.