3C90
3C90 is a Mn-Zn power ferrite grade of Ferroxcube origin with good performance to 200 kHz, and it is commonly cross-referenced across ferrite core suppliers.
Reference datasheet — 3C90 is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
What is 3C90?
3C90 is a Mn-Zn power ferrite grade of Ferroxcube origin with good performance to 200 kHz, and it is commonly cross-referenced across ferrite core suppliers. Typical forms are standard (STD), pre-gapped (GAP) and coated toroid (TOR-COAT) cores for power converter transformers and common-mode chokes, with sintered density about 4.8 g/cm³ and rated service to 200 °C. Firing shrinkage of 15–20 % and the fact that only diamond grinding is possible after sintering (machinability 5) mean the pressed shape must be close to final. N87 and PC40 are the closest interchangeable grades. 3C90 has a density of 4.8 g/cm³ (0.173 lb/in³), lighter than 52% of ceramic grades. 3C90 has a tensile strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi), weaker than 77% of ceramic grades. The elastic modulus is 150 GPa (21.8 Msi).
What is 3C90 used for?
- Power converter transformer cores
- Common-mode choke cores
- Output filter inductor cores
- Coated toroids for EMI suppression
- Gapped cores for flyback transformers
- Telecom and industrial power transformer cores
Advantages
- Low embodied carbon — 2.6 kg CO₂/kg, better than 90% of ceramic grades
Limitations
- Hard to polish — 55/100, worse than 85% of ceramic grades
- Low fracture toughness — 1 MPa·√m (0.91 ksi·√in), worse than 84% of ceramic grades
- Limited service temperature — 200°C (392 °F), worse than 84% of ceramic grades
3C90 properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among ceramic grades.
Physical2
3C90 has a density of 4.8 g/cm³ (0.173 lb/in³), lighter than 52% of ceramic grades.
Mechanical8
3C90 has a tensile strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi), weaker than 77% of ceramic grades. The elastic modulus is 150 GPa (21.8 Msi).
Thermal5
3C90 is rated for continuous service to 200°C (392 °F). It conducts heat at 4 W/m·K (2.31 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 68% of ceramic grades. Thermal expansion is 11 µm/m·K (6.11 µin/in·°F).
Electrical2
3C90 has an electrical resistivity of 5 Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental2
Corrosion resistance is good (65/100), worse than 67% of ceramic grades.
Sustainability3
Producing a kilogram of 3C90 takes about 32 MJ of energy and emits 2.6 kg of CO₂ — less than 91% of ceramic grades. Typical recycled content is 10%.
Manufacturability3
3C90's machinability is not recommended (5/100, worse than 59% of ceramic grades).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the ceramic family
Yield strength against density for every ceramic grade FabDigit runs. 3C90 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 3C90
Is 3C90 easy to machine?
The sintered body can only be ground with diamond wheels or machined ultrasonically; dry grinding chips the edges, and gap faces must be ground for parallelism and matched A_L.
Can 3C90 be welded?
Not weldable; assemblies are held together with clamps, spring clips or epoxy bonding.
Can 3C90 be formed, bent or molded?
Spray-granulated oxide powder is dry pressed or isostatically pressed, then sintered at 1280–1380 °C in a controlled-oxygen atmosphere; linear shrinkage is about 15–20 %, so tooling must be scaled up accordingly.
3C90 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Fe2O3about 52 mol% Fe2O3 | 66 – 72 | 69 |
| MnOabout 34 mol% MnO | 18 – 24 | 21 |
| CaO+SiO2+Co/Ti dopantsgrain-boundary resistivity and loss additives (proprietary) | 0 – 0.5 | 0.2 |
| ZnOabout 14 mol% ZnO | ≥ 8 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on 3C90?
Mating faces are ground and polished to reduce gap error; toroids are epoxy powder or parylene coated to provide winding insulation and moisture protection.
How much does 3C90 cost?
3C90 is a premium-cost ceramic ($$$), cheaper than about 51% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
3C90 — frequently asked
What is 3C90 used for?
3C90 is typically used for power converter transformer cores, common-mode choke cores, output filter inductor cores, coated toroids for EMI suppression, gapped cores for flyback transformers and telecom and industrial power transformer cores. In short: good to 200 kHz; widely cross-referenced ferrite; standard power-core grade.
What is the tensile strength of 3C90?
3C90 has a typical tensile strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi) — weaker than 77% of ceramic grades.
Is 3C90 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (5/100, worse than 59% of ceramic grades). The sintered body can only be ground with diamond wheels or machined ultrasonically; dry grinding chips the edges, and gap faces must be ground for parallelism and matched A_L.
Can 3C90 be welded?
Not weldable; assemblies are held together with clamps, spring clips or epoxy bonding.
What surface finishes work on 3C90?
Mating faces are ground and polished to reduce gap error; toroids are epoxy powder or parylene coated to provide winding insulation and moisture protection.
Can 3C90 be formed, bent or molded?
Spray-granulated oxide powder is dry pressed or isostatically pressed, then sintered at 1280–1380 °C in a controlled-oxygen atmosphere; linear shrinkage is about 15–20 %, so tooling must be scaled up accordingly.
What is the maximum service temperature of 3C90?
3C90 is rated for continuous use to about 200°C (392 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does 3C90 cost?
3C90 is a premium-cost ceramic ($$$), cheaper than about 51% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- 3C90 Material Specification / Soft Ferrites and Accessories Data Handbook — Ferroxcube (2013)
- Soft Ferrites: Properties and Applications — Butterworth-Heinemann (E.C. Snelling) (1988)
- Ferrite Materials PC40 / N87 cross-reference data — TDK / EPCOS (2023)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.