The PSD to MD transition of magnetite

Hysteresis parameters, H_cr, H_c, J_rs, J_s and their ratios H_cr/H_c, J_rs/J_s, have been measured for a large number of accurately prepared grain size fractions of magnetite ranging between 5 and 150 μm. For several grain size fractions, three different concentrations of magnetite are used: 100, 0.1 and 0.02 volume percentage. Most of the measurements were repeated after annealing the specimens to 600°C. Plots of the results from H_c, H_cr/H_c and J_rs/J_s versus the grain size reveal partly convex and concave curves. Concentration and annealing affect the values of the hysteresis parameters, especially for grains finer than 25 μm, but the shape of the curves remains the same. The inflection point from convex to concave for all curves occurs at 25 μm and it appears to be independent of concentration and annealing. It is therefore proposed to define the transition from PSD to MD as the inflection point of these curves.