Soft magnetic properties of a ferritic Fe‐Ni‐Cr alloy

Technologically important applications may exist for magnetically soft alloys that possess, in addition to the appropriate magnetic properties, relatively high mechanical strength and corrosion resistance. Such an alloy can be used, for example, for certain types of telephone receiver armature applications. In the present paper, we report the magnetic and mechanical properties of the ternary Fe‐3Ni‐5Cr alloy. The soft magnetic properties of the alloy are significantly improved by heat treatment within the (α+γ) two‐phase region. Exemplary properties after heat treatment at ∼625 °C for 2 h are Hc∼1.2 Oe, μm∼4700, yield strength ∼59 ksi, and elongation ∼30%. The alloy exhibits reasonably good corrosion resistance. Magnetic, mechanical, and electrical properties of the alloy as well as the acoustic performance of telephone receivers using it, have been found to be comparable to those of the 2V‐Permendur alloy.