I have a toroidal Iron nickel core, which upon research I found was used in an amplifier transformer, I couldn't get much info in it but I want to know if I can use it in a boost or buck converter circuit as the core, will it work as well as a soft iron ferrite core or is it just meant to be used at low frequencies as a transformer.
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A laminated iron transformer is designed to work with low frequencies, usually 50-60Hz and with some derating could go up to about 500Hz.
Switching converters, on the other hand, work at usually more than 20kHz, so you saturate the core quite fast.
It won't really work, unless probably with extreme derating just to say you made it working
answered Feb 7, 2021 at 19:36
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\$\begingroup\$ Nickel Iron is not limited to 50 or 60 Hertz, I researched it can work at frequencies up to 10khz, I just want to know more, like why it can go up there, how? How does the laminates thickness affect high frequency operation, I was expecting an answer of someone who actually used nickel Iron before, a person who ran many tests, you just referring to it as just "iron", tells me how you are just generalising. And your answer is not useful at all. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Feb 8, 2021 at 6:58
used in an amplifier transformer?? In the power supply, or in the signal path of audio, or of RF? If in the power supply, then it's only going to work well at mains frequencies, which is consistent with 0.5 mm laminations. If it was an amplifier intended for aircraft use, it will be good to 400 Hz, and some professional bench kit is rated to 400 Hz as well. Even the cheapest ferrites will take you 2 orders of magnitude or more better than that. \$\endgroup\$