A core material used to reduce core losses is called what?

• A. Amorphous
• B. Laminated iron
• C. Copper
• D. Aluminum

Answer: (A)

The main idea is how to lower core losses in magnetic cores. Core losses come from two sources: hysteresis losses, due to magnetization switching in the material, and eddy current losses, caused by currents induced in the core. Amorphous metals have a disordered atomic structure that gives them high electrical resistivity and very low coercivity, so they dissipate far less energy as the magnetic field cycles. This makes them especially effective at reducing both hysteresis and eddy current losses, more so than traditional laminated iron. Laminated iron helps by breaking up eddy currents with thin insulating layers, but it still experiences notable hysteresis losses. Copper and aluminum, while good conductors, are not magnetic and don’t provide a suitable path for flux; they would not reduce core losses like amorphous metals do.