Futuristic electric vehicle motor made of metal amorphous nanocomposites.

Beyond Silicon Steel: How Advanced Magnetic Materials are Shaping the Future of Motors

Beau Callahan in Tech & Innovation September 2025 • 4 min read.

"Discover the innovative materials enhancing motor efficiency, durability, and performance, and why they matter for electric vehicles and beyond."

For decades, silicon steel has been the workhorse material in electric motors. However, as technology advances and demands for greater efficiency and performance increase, a new generation of materials is stepping into the spotlight. Metal amorphous nanocomposites (MANCs) are emerging as a game-changer in motor design, offering properties that silicon steel simply can't match.

MANCs promise to reduce energy losses, improve thermal stability, and enable the creation of smaller, more powerful motors. This is particularly crucial in sectors like electric vehicles (EVs), where optimizing every component for maximum efficiency is paramount. As the world transitions towards electrification, understanding these advanced materials becomes essential for anyone interested in the future of technology and sustainability.

This article dives into the world of MANCs, explaining their unique properties, the challenges of working with them, and their potential impact on various industries. Whether you're an engineer, a tech enthusiast, or simply curious about the materials that will power tomorrow's innovations, this exploration will provide valuable insights into a field at the forefront of materials science and engineering.

What Makes MANCs the Next Big Thing in Motor Technology?

Futuristic electric vehicle motor made of metal amorphous nanocomposites.

MANCs offer several key advantages over traditional silicon steels, making them ideal for high-performance motor applications:

Reduced Energy Losses: MANCs have higher electrical resistivity, which significantly reduces eddy current losses—a major source of energy waste in motors. This means more of the electrical energy is converted into mechanical work, boosting overall efficiency.

Higher Saturation Induction: MANCs can handle higher magnetic fields without saturating, enabling motors to produce more torque and power from a smaller size.
Better Thermal Stability: MANCs maintain their magnetic properties at higher temperatures compared to amorphous alloys, ensuring consistent performance even under demanding operating conditions.
Design Flexibility: These materials can be formed into thin ribbons, allowing for more compact and innovative motor designs.

The development of MANCs involves a sophisticated process of controlled annealing, which transforms the material into a partially nanocrystalline structure. This structure is key to achieving the desired magnetic and mechanical properties. However, this process also presents significant challenges that researchers are actively working to overcome.

The Road Ahead: Overcoming Challenges and Realizing the Potential of MANCs

While MANCs hold tremendous promise, several challenges need to be addressed before they can fully replace silicon steel in widespread motor applications. Embrittlement—a tendency to become brittle during processing—is a significant concern. Researchers are exploring various techniques, such as optimizing the alloy composition and refining the annealing process, to improve the material's ductility and toughness. Additionally, surface roughness can affect mechanical properties, and achieving consistent material quality is crucial for reliable motor performance.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1016/j.mtla.2018.10.008, Alternate LINK

Title: Mechanical Properties Of Strain Annealed Metal Amorphous Nanocomposite (Manc) Soft Magnetic Material

Subject: General Materials Science

Journal: Materialia

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Authors: Y. Krimer, V. Keylin, A.M. Leary, P.R. Ohodnicki, K. Byerly, A. Wise, E.A. Clark, M.E. Mchenry

Published: 2018-12-01

Everything You Need To Know

What specific benefits do Metal Amorphous Nanocomposites (MANCs) offer over silicon steel in electric motors?

MANCs offer key advantages such as reduced energy losses due to higher electrical resistivity, leading to increased efficiency. They also exhibit higher saturation induction, allowing motors to generate more power from a smaller size. Furthermore, MANCs demonstrate better thermal stability, maintaining performance at higher temperatures compared to silicon steel. This translates to more robust and reliable motor operation, particularly in demanding environments.

How do Metal Amorphous Nanocomposites (MANCs) reduce energy losses in comparison to silicon steel?

MANCs reduce energy losses primarily through their higher electrical resistivity. This property minimizes eddy current losses, which are a significant source of energy waste in electric motors. By reducing these losses, MANCs ensure that more electrical energy is converted into mechanical work, thereby improving the overall efficiency of the motor compared to motors using silicon steel.

What are the primary challenges in using Metal Amorphous Nanocomposites (MANCs) in motor manufacturing?

The main challenges associated with MANCs include embrittlement during processing, which can make the material brittle and prone to failure. Surface roughness is another concern, as it can affect mechanical properties. Ensuring consistent material quality across production runs is also crucial for reliable motor performance. Researchers are actively working on optimizing alloy compositions and annealing processes to mitigate these issues.

In what ways does the unique structure of Metal Amorphous Nanocomposites (MANCs) contribute to their superior performance compared to silicon steel?

The partially nanocrystalline structure of MANCs, achieved through a controlled annealing process, is key to their enhanced performance. This structure provides a balance of magnetic and mechanical properties that silicon steel cannot match. This includes higher saturation induction, reduced energy losses, and better thermal stability, ultimately leading to more efficient and powerful motors.

Why are Metal Amorphous Nanocomposites (MANCs) considered particularly important for the future of electric vehicles (EVs)?

MANCs are crucial for the future of EVs because they offer significant improvements in motor efficiency and power density. The reduced energy losses in MANCs directly translate to increased range and improved energy efficiency for EVs. The ability to create smaller, more powerful motors with MANCs also allows for more compact and efficient vehicle designs, which is essential as the automotive industry moves towards electrification. This helps to optimize every component for maximum efficiency, which is paramount in the EV sector.