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I was wondering with a question for a quite long time, thought to ask here.

I need to know is there any material or element which can block magnetic field? I mean I am searching for such material or element that cannot allow magnetic field though itself?

The practical scenario is, there are two permanent magnets and those are positioned within each other's magnetic field. I want to put something so that both the magnets become free of interference withing themselves.

Hope I could clarify my question.

Can anyone help me of give me some suggestion on this aspect please?

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The only materials that can block a magnetic field are those that strongly interact, such as a ferromagnetic material (iron, steel, etc), or a superconductor. Since we don't live in a sea of liquid nitrogen, for weaker fields mu-metal is best, but for stronger magnets mu metal loses it's advantage and any iron-based metal is just as good.

An unobtanium that blocks magnets but is not affect by them can't exist. If it did, you could make a perpetual motion machine by letting the magnets attract (which relases energy), inserting a plate of said material between them (you would leave a small gap in between the magnets), and pulling the magnets back apart with negligible energy expenditure.

Iron won't let you do this. The magnets release energy when you let them attract, and the plate releases additional energy when you insert it. However, the presence of an attracting metal plate means it will take more energy to remove the magnets with the plate in between than without, and you end up having to put all the energy back in you got out in the first place (Nature is an accurate banker).

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  • $\begingroup$ Hi Kevin, thank you so very much for appropriate answer! I also found the same that you mentioned here. I could not find such material! But I was quite interested about the metal or something like that that holds the very strong magnets of Hard disks and speakers! What about them? Can you please enlighten me about those? $\endgroup$
    – Razib Ali
    Commented Apr 30, 2014 at 20:12
  • $\begingroup$ If you like the answer please click the checkmark to "accept" it (you get 2 free rep when you accept answers). Speaker and hard disks magnets are shielded with a thick piece of steel or similar material, which act as a "conductor" of magnetic fields. $\endgroup$
    – Kevin Kostlan
    Commented Apr 30, 2014 at 22:17
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A material with such resistance is a material with high magnetic permeability.

A much used example is Mu-metal.

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