Low sintering temperature MnZn-ferrites for power applications in the frequency region of 400 kHz

In this paper, the effect of cubic zinc metaborate Zn4O(BO2)6 on the sintering of MnZn-ferrites for medium frequency power applications is investigated. Zinc metaborate is synthesized in the laboratory using zinc oxide and boric acid as metal precursors. As observed, when zinc metaborate is added to the MnZn-ferrites at an optimum amount of 0.02 wt%, it significantly enhances densification and therefore allows, for a given density, reduction of the firing temperature by almost 200 °C. MnZn-ferrites exhibiting power losses of 70 mW/cm3 (measured at a frequency of 400 kHz, magnetic field 50 mT and temperature of 90 °C) are synthesized from conventionally milled powders with average particle diameter 0.6 μm, compacted and fired at 1100 °C. Identical experiments conducted under the same conditions on specimens without zinc metaborate additions revealed power losses greater than 300 mW/cm3, because of insufficient densification.