What’s Mu Metal?

Mu metal, a high-permeability nickel-iron alloy, is used to protect sensitive electronics by redirecting magnetic flux around a device rather than blocking it. As Hackaday explains, while it was once common in old televisions and tape recorders, the material remains essential for modern electron microscopes and quantum instrumentation. Because the metal's effectiveness depends on its internal structure, it often requires hydrogen annealing after being shaped to restore its magnetic properties.

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