Melhoramento de sensores magnetostrictivos de deformação

Abstract

Magnetic amorphous ribbons have a great variety of sensorial applications due to their magnetic properties. The possibility of being remotely queried allows their application in cases where sensors with wired connections present a physical limitation. The capability of acquiring a transverse magnetic anisotropy through thermal treatments, under applied magnetic field and/or stress, is what makes these materials attractive for application in magnetostrictive strain-gauges. The materials studied in this work, Metglas 2826MB3, Yeke 1k501, Yeke 1k501a, Vitrovac 7600, Vitroperm 800 and a commercial EAS Tags, presented magnetization curves with characteristics of materials with reduced transverse magnetic anisotropy. This was the motivation to carry out thermomagnetic treatments. The treatments were carried out under a magnetic field of approximately 500 Oe, using temperatures of 235, 275, 315 and 350˚C, for periods of 15, 30 and 60 minutes, in a home-made oven. The treatments resulted in considerable improvements on the shape of the ΔE curves, making them more asymmetric and increasing the frequency variations that these materials can present. The treatments also resulted in linear M-H curves, with constant magnetic susceptibility until saturation. A system for the application of stresses up to 30 MPa on the samples was built. ΔE curves with greater asymmetry for the pair resonator transducer (components of the strain-gauge) allowed a greater resonance frequency variation response of the sensor during strain tests. In the best case, a frequency variation above 5 kHz was detected for deformations of approximately 260 ppm, when the pair resonator transducer made of thermomagneticaly treated Metglas 2826MB3 was used. The measurements of the ΔE curves of a treated Metglas 2826MB3 ribbon, placed over 1010 steel substrates, soft magnetic material, showed that they were still detectable. However, their form was altered due to the magnetic interaction with the steel. Simulations made using the software FEMM, helped to understand the observed phenomena during the strain tests and the interaction between the ribbon and the soft magnetic substrates.