8505.11.00.50 - Sintered samarium-cobalt

This HTS category, 8505.11.00.50, specifically classifies sintered samarium-cobalt permanent magnets. These magnets are manufactured by compacting and sintering finely powdered samarium and cobalt alloys, resulting in a dense, strong permanent magnet. They are characterized by their excellent magnetic properties, high coercivity, and good resistance to demagnetization, making them suitable for applications where strong magnetic fields are required, such as in motors, generators, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment.

This classification is distinct from its sibling categories primarily based on the specific alloy composition. While 8505.11.00.10 covers Alnico magnets (primarily aluminum, nickel, and cobalt), 8505.11.00.30 pertains to ceramic magnets (typically ferrite-based), and 8505.11.00.70 is for sintered neodymium-iron-boron magnets. Category 8505.11.00.90 serves as a residual category for other types of permanent magnets that are of metal but do not fit the specific compositions of the preceding subheadings.

As a leaf node, 8505.11.00.50 does not have further subcategories. Therefore, classification within this specific subheading relies on the definitive presence of sintered samarium-cobalt as the constituent material of the permanent magnet. The sintered nature of the material is a key distinguishing factor, indicating a manufacturing process involving powdered materials being heated to a high temperature below their melting point to form a solid mass.