What is Permalloy?

Question:

What is permalloy plating, and what is it used for? C.G.

Answer:

The name permalloy sounds like an exotic space age material used for making exotic, unusual parts. In some ways you might consider it to be a space age material because of its uses, but in reality it is an alloy of iron and nickel. The typical permalloy deposit is approximately 20% iron and 80% nickel.

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Permalloy is deposited from a plating bath using nickel sulfate, nickel chloride, ferrous sulfate, boric acid, sodium saccharin and a wetting agent.

The alloy as deposited has very useful magnetic properties and is used in many different types of devices, including logic devices, thin-film recording heads and shielding devices. Other materials may be deposited with the iron and nickel. Cobalt and indium are examples. Permalloy plating is an active area of investigation.

Why is it considered a space age material? Much of our modern electronics depend on this material.