Fridge magnet transformed

The ubiquitous and unremarkable magnet, BaFe12O19, is manufactured in large volumes, has the simplest crystal structure in its class, and is often seen on refrigerator doors—but it is set for an interesting future. By substituting a few of its iron atoms with the elements scandium and magnesium, Yusuke Tokunaga and Yoshinori Tokura from the Japan Science and Technology Agency, along with Yasujiro Taguchi from the RIKEN Advanced Science Institute and their colleagues, have produced a very rare magnet. The rarity of the magnet lies in three features that, taken together, endow it with a high degree of tunability.

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Fridge magnet transformed