Like Samarium Cobalt, NdFeB is termed a Rare Earth magnet. The Neodymium Iron Boron, NdFeB, magnets are made of an alloy primarily consisting of Neodymium, Iron and Boron and the alloy is chemically written as Nd2Fe14B. Although Neodymium Iron Boron is often written as NdFeB or Neodymium, it is often given the nickname of "Neo" and, very infrequently, "NIB".
Up to +150 degrees C, the Neodymium Iron Boron magnets are the strongest performers. Between +130 degrees C and +160 degrees C, there is an overlap in performance between NdFeB and SmCo. Above +150 degrees C SmCo provides the greater performance.
The"Neo" magnets are a first choice for many applications as they offer the greatest performance with the smallest volume. Neodymium Iron Boron, NdFeB, magnets exist in a variety of grades. These grades not only vary in magnetic output performance but they also vary with temperature rating. The maximum recommended temperature of operation for the "Neo" magnets is +200 to +230 degrees C although the exact limit is actually dependent on the magnet shape and the total magnetic circuit (so the recommended limits are really only crude guideline values). This is discussed in the section called Temperature Ratings.
