A molding-type power inductor is an inductor that uses a hybrid material that is prepared by mixing a ferrite metal powder coated with an insulating layer and an epoxy resin, which is injected into a coil-embedded mold and heated and cured. The fabrication of molding-type inductors requires various techniques such as for coil formation and insertion, improving the magnetic properties of soft magnetic metal powder, coating an insulating film on the magnetic powder surface, and increasing the packing density by well dispersing the powder in the epoxy resin. Among these aspects, researches on additives that can disperse the metal soft magnetic powder having the greatest performance in the epoxy resin with high charge have not been reported yet. In this study, we investigated the effect of silanes, KBM-303 and KBM-403, and a commercial dispersant on the dispersion of metal soft magnetic powders in epoxy resin. The sedimentation height and viscosity were measured, and it was confirmed that the silane KBM-303 was suitable for dispersion. For this silane, the packing density was as high as about 72.49%. Moreover, when 1.2 wt% of dispersant BYK-103 was added, the packing density was about 80.5%.
