Core-Shell Particles and Composite Material Synthesized Therefrom

A method of providing a soft magnetic material having a core-shell structure, the method comprising:

• purging a furnace with one or more of nitrogen, inert gas, or vacuum;
• heating the furnace;
• determining if a shell on a ferrous particle in the furnace is to be an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride;
• and
• oxidizing and/or nitriding the ferrous particle to form the shell.

A soft magnetic material, comprising:

• a soft magnetic core;
• and
• a shell surrounding the soft magnetic core, the shell being chemically bonded to the core;
• wherein the soft magnetic core comprises a soft magnetic elemental metal or alloy;
• and
• wherein the shell comprises an electrically insulating material.

A reactor, comprising:

• a cylindrical portion configured to be heated and comprising an inner wall and rotatable about an axis extending longitudinally through the cylindrical portion, the cylindrical portion having a first open end and a second opposing open end and having at least one vane extending from the inner wall;
• a first narrow portion attached to the first open end;
• and
• a second narrow portion attached to the second opposing open end.

A method of producing a soft magnetic composite material, the method comprising:

• providing a powder comprising at least one of iron, cobalt, nickel, aluminum, silicon, or gadolinium;
• forming shells on particles of the powder, the shells comprising an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride to form particles of a soft magnetic material having a core-shell structure;
• and
• forming a solid soft magnetic composite material using the particles of the soft magnetic material having the core-shell structure.

A method of producing a soft magnetic composite material, the method comprising:

• providing a powder comprising at least one of iron, cobalt, nickel, aluminum, silicon, or gadolinium;
• forming shells on particles of the powder, the shells comprising a nitride or an oxynitride to form particles of a soft magnetic material having a core-shell structure;
• and
• depositing the particles of the soft magnetic material having the core-shell structure to form a solid soft magnetic composite material.

A system for producing a soft magnetic powder material of particles having core-shell structures, the system comprising:

• a source of iron or iron alloy particles;
• a source of at least one gas comprising at least one of nitrogen and oxygen;
• a flow controller configured to control a flow of the at least one gas to the source of iron or iron alloy particles;
• and
• a heater configured to heat the at least one gas at the source of iron or iron alloy particles;
• wherein a flow of the at least one gas is configured to be varied to provide a shell of at least one of a nitride, an oxide, or an oxynitride on the iron or iron alloy particles.