Deep-sea "magnetic" insight: Super magnetostrictive materials enable sonar detection range to exceed 1,000 kilometers
2025-10-21
The detection capability of the sonar system depends on the energy conversion efficiency of the transducer. The energy density of traditional piezoelectric ceramic materials is relatively low, which limits the detection distance and accuracy. The strain of rare earth supermagnetostrictive materials under the action of a magnetic field can reach 0.15%, which is more than five times that of piezoelectric ceramics. Moreover, they have a fast response speed and large output force, and can efficiently convert electrical energy into sound energy. The detection range of traditional sonar is usually within 300 kilometers, while the sonar system using supermagnetostrictive materials can exceed 1,000 kilometers in detection range and can distinguish small targets at a depth of 500 meters. Hao Hongbo, the person in charge of the demonstration line, introduced.
The large-scale production of this material was once a worldwide conundrum. Previously, only a few countries around the world mastered the "single-root growth" zone melting technology, which not only had low production capacity but also high costs. The all-melting process developed by Baotou Rare Earth Research Institute has achieved the production of "multiple pieces in one furnace", reducing the mass production cost of materials by 60% and keeping the performance consistency error within 2%, reaching the international advanced level. At present, this demonstration line has an annual production capacity of 1,000 kilograms and will be expanded to 5,000 kilograms in 2026, which can meet the demands of China's navy, Marine exploration and other fields.
In the civilian sector, deep-sea detectors made of supermagnetostrictive materials have been applied in the exploration of combustible ice in the South China Sea. Its powerful penetration ability can clearly detect the geological structure below 1,000 meters on the seabed, providing precise data for resource development. In addition, the application of this material in fields such as earthquake monitoring and underwater communication is also accelerating. Industry insiders say that the localization of rare earth super-magnetostrictive materials not only ensures national Marine security but also drives the upgrading of the deep-sea equipment industry chain.
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