Highlights

• China successfully builds the first demonstration line for mass producing Terfenol-D, a strategic magnetostrictive material critical for defense and aerospace technologies.
• New production facility enables world-class performance with 1,200 ppm magnetostrictive response and less than 10% batch-to-batch deviation.
• The breakthrough reduces reliance on foreign suppliers and positions China as a potential global supplier of this high-performance functional material.

In a development with strategic implications, China has built its first demonstration line for mass production of rare earth giant magnetostrictive material (Terfenol-D), a “super-material” long monopolized by foreign suppliers. The line, completed at the Rare Earth New Materials Technology Innovation Center, represents a breakthrough in China’s drive for autonomy in high-end functional materials.

The facility is a collaboration between the innovation center, Beihang University (Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics), and the Baotou Rare Earth Research Institute. According to project leaders, the production line delivers world-class performance metrics: small-diameter products demonstrate 1,200 ppm magnetostrictive response at low magnetic fields (100 kA/m), with batch-to-batch consistency deviation of less than 10%. This performance enables precise use in high-power sonar, micro-displacement actuators, and advanced acoustic transducers—equipment central to aerospace, defense, and maritime industries.

Project head Hao Hongbo noted that China previously lacked the ability to mass-produce this material. “With this line we’ve achieved both scale and improved uniformity,” he said. Trial production is already yielding sub-20 mm components, and by late 2026, annual output is expected to reach 1,000 kilograms. Researchers are also targeting larger-diameter materials using advanced crystal growth and microstructure control technologies.

Why This Matters

Terfenol-D is widely regarded as the most powerful magnetostrictive material known, able to produce extraordinary shape changes under a magnetic field with far higher energy density than conventional materials. It is essential for precision drive systems, ultrasonic devices, naval sonar, and aerospace applications. Until now, core production technology and key equipment were controlled abroad, making Chinese defense and high-tech sectors reliant on expensive imports.

By industrializing this material, China could secure a stable domestic supply for aviation, space, and naval programs—while also positioning itself as a global supplier. For the U.S. and its allies, the breakthrough is a warning shot: Beijing is not only dominant in rare earth mining and separation, but is now moving into strategic functional materials once thought to be niche but irreplaceable in advanced defense and industrial systems.

Disclaimer: This report originates from a Chinese state-owned entity. The information should be independently verified before forming investment or policy conclusions.

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