Is there any material which is NOT conductive and IS magnetically attractive?
I am in need of a material which I can shape and use within a machine.
It must be very attracted to magnets similarly to steel or iron.
However it must be extremely electrically resistive, like plastic insulators or ceramic insulators.
Specifically, when a magnet is passed over the material the magnet should be very attracted to it, yet the material should not produce any internal electromagnetic eddy currents and cause electromagnetic braking.
I am currently considering an epoxy solution saturated with iron filings or BBs, but I am concerned they may touch each other within the solution and create large enough conductive sections that would allow the creation of electromagnetic eddy currents. Or might not be saturated enough to allow the high magnetic attraction required.
I would prefer a solid material to allow shaping for use as a part within a motor.
Also, superconductors are not an option.
Best Answer
Yes, ferrite. According to page 8 of this brochure, Ferrite-NiZn has a resistivity of 10^4 Ohm·m. This is better than damp wood, at least. You can trade magnetic properties for resistivity by coating and embedding ferrite pellets in an insulator, as suggested in the comment above, but fashioning your own metamaterial will probably involve quite a bit of research and experimentation.