Experimental study on magnetic and heating characteristics of magnetic wood

Magnetic wood, wood which demonstrates magnetic characteristics, was introd uced by the Oka group in 1991. Based on previous studies, we have proposed that magnetic wood can be used as a heating board by induction heating, app lying a high frequency magnetic field. This article covers experimental mag netic and heating characteristics for three types of magnetic wood: an impr egnated type (the wood is impregnated with a water-based magnetic fluid), a powder type (Mn-Zn ferrite powder and wood powder are mixed and pressed in to boards), and a coating type (Mn-Zn ferrite powder is coated onto a fiber board). Our results showed that the coating-type magnetic wood had the hig hest surface temperature when using a solenoid excitation coil. In this cas e the surface temperature rose 50 degrees C. The heating board we propose c an be used in furniture and medical equipment that require a warm and smoot h surface. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)38508-X].