Latest news with #Jian-PingWang
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
China-born scientist's magnet made without rare earth element could now help US
An innovation that came into existence years ago could now help the United States tackle China's dominance in a key sector. A scientist working at the University of Minnesota lab years ago developed the world's first iron nitride magnet, a revolutionary technology forged from iron and nitrogen without using rare earth elements. As of now, China dominates rare earth exports with 92% of global refining. The world's largest exporter of rare earth minerals is currently restricting exports to the United a key role in almost everything from EV motors to wind turbines and MRI machines, rare earth magnets now have an alternative. Niron Magnetics, the spin-off created by University of Minnesota materials scientist Jian-Ping Wang, is offering rare earth-free permanent magnets. The company claims these are useful for consumer electronics and the motor powering industry. Permanent magnets are the invisible force that converts electricity to motion in your daily devices. "We produce the world's only high performance, rare-earth-free permanent magnets. Our Iron Nitride magnet technology and world-leading magnetics expertise enhance the applications that use magnets to help revolutionize your industry," said the company in a statement. The China-born scientist's innovation is now expected to help the United States overcome China's dominance in the supply of rare earth minerals. Wang earned his PhD at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and spent decades in studying magnetism. The raw materials for Niron's magnets are globally abundant and 100% domestically sourced, creating a permanently secure supply chain. The company also claims that their magnets offer advanced performance as Iron Nitride has the greatest flux of any material known and unlocks fundamental advantages in device design. Niron maintains that their streamlined process scales to meet demand using equipment proven in the industry, from nanoparticles to finished magnets. At a time when the Asian giant is tightening export controls on critical minerals like samarium and dysprosium, Niron's innovation promises a key alternative. Niron's magnets excel under 200 degrees Celsius (392 Fahrenheit), high-temperature applications still rely on China-controlled alloys. Even with its first Minnesota factory breaking ground this year, scaling production to match soaring global demand, projected to triple by 2035, will test limits. The company claims that innovators could achieve next-generation device performance with Iron Nitride magnets. "More efficient motors. Better temperature stability. These are the permanent magnets reshaping tomorrow's technologies, and helping you achieve your design goals today," said the company in the statement. Niron's proprietary Clean Earth Magnet technology, based on Iron Nitride, enables magnets that possess inherently high magnetization. These are expected to enable a revolution in the design of new electric motors and generators. "We have got overwhelming interest from customers in our technology, especially over the last several years as the trade tensions between China and the U.S. have increased, and as China has used the rare earth technology as a bargaining chip in response to the US restricting semiconductor technology," said Jonathan Rowntree, CEO of Niron Magnetics.
South China Morning Post
25-04-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
China-born scientist Jian-Ping Wang forged a rare-earth-free magnet. Will it help the West?
While working in his lab at the University of Minnesota more than a decade ago, materials scientist Jian-Ping Wang achieved a world first. Advertisement Born and educated in China, Wang spent decades studying magnetism, first earning his PhD at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, then pioneering research in Singapore before joining academia in the United States. His quest was to create a powerful magnet without rare earth elements . The result was the world's first iron nitride magnet, a revolutionary technology forged from iron and nitrogen. Now, as US-China tensions escalate over rare earth exports – a sector China dominates with 92 per cent of global refining – Wang's invention is gaining urgent attention. His spin-off company, Niron Magnetics, is racing to commercialise these magnets, offering Western technology and automotive giants an alternative to China 's stranglehold on supply. The stakes could not be higher. Rare earth magnets power everything from EV motors to wind turbines and MRI machines. China is the world's largest exporter of rare earth minerals and will restrict exports to the US as part of the protracted trade war. Photo: Reuters With China tightening export controls on critical minerals like samarium and dysprosium – and US manufacturers scrambling to avoid shortages – Niron's innovation promises a lifeline. Yet challenges remain.
South China Morning Post
25-04-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
China-born scientist Jian-Ping Wang forged a rare-earth-free magnet. Will it help the West?
While working in his lab at the University of Minnesota more than a decade ago, materials scientist Jian-Ping Wang achieved a world first. Advertisement Born and educated in China, Wang spent decades studying magnetism, first earning his PhD at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, then pioneering research in Singapore before joining academia in the United States. His quest was to create a powerful magnet without rare earth elements . The result was the world's first iron nitride magnet, a revolutionary technology forged from iron and nitrogen. Now, as US-China tensions escalate over rare earth exports – a sector China dominates with 92 per cent of global refining – Wang's invention is gaining urgent attention. His spin-off company, Niron Magnetics, is racing to commercialise these magnets, offering Western technology and automotive giants an alternative to China 's stranglehold on supply. The stakes could not be higher. Rare earth magnets power everything from EV motors to wind turbines and MRI machines. China is the world's largest exporter of rare earth minerals and will restrict exports to the US as part of the protracted trade war. Photo: Reuters With China tightening export controls on critical minerals like samarium and dysprosium – and US manufacturers scrambling to avoid shortages – Niron's innovation promises a lifeline. Yet challenges remain.
South China Morning Post
25-04-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
China-born scientist Wang Jianping forged a rare-earth-free magnet. Will it help the West?
While working in his lab at the University of Minnesota more than a decade ago, materials scientist Jian-Ping Wang achieved a world first. Advertisement Born and educated in China, Wang spent decades studying magnetism, first earning his PhD at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, then pioneering research in Singapore before joining academia in the United States. His quest was to create a powerful magnet without rare-earth elements . The result was the world's first iron nitride magnet, a revolutionary technology forged from iron and nitrogen. Now, as US-China tensions escalate over rare-earth exports – a sector China dominates with 92 per cent of global refining – Wang's invention is gaining urgent attention. His spin-off company, Niron Magnetics, is racing to commercialise these magnets, offering Western technology and automotive giants an alternative to China 's stranglehold on supply. The stakes could not be higher. Rare-earth magnets power everything from EV motors to wind turbines and MRI machines. China is the world's largest exporter of rare-earth minerals and will restrict exports to the US as part of the protracted trade war. Photo: Reuters With China tightening export controls on critical minerals like samarium and dysprosium – and US manufacturers scrambling to avoid shortages – Niron's innovation promises a lifeline. Yet challenges remain.
