Non-magnetic materials - in a common language, “non-magnetic” are those materials which do not exhibit strong magnetic response - they have low relative permeability μ_r, very close to unity, or susceptibility close to zero (similar to vacuum).¹⁾

In engineering applications the permeability of such materials is typically assumed to be unity (same as vacuum), with negligible error.²⁾ Diamagnets, paramagnets and antiferromagnets are utilised for their lack of magnetic response (non-magnetic). Antiferromagnets are used in some magnetic sensors such as spin valves for their magnetic properties.

Magnetic permeability of magnetic materials (ferromagnets $μ_{ferro}$) is much higher than those of non-magnetic materials (e.g. vacuum $μ_0 = μ_{vac}$, diamagnets $μ_{dia}$, paramagnets $μ_{para}$ and superconductors $μ_{sup}$)

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Magnetic susceptibility χ expresses the proportionality between magnetisation M and magnetic field strength H: ferro - ferromagnets (and ferrimagnets), para - paramagnets, dia - diamagnets, vac - vacuum, sup - superconductors³⁾

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Magnetic force on non-magnetic materials such as plastic and copper (without electric current) is typically negligible, electromagnetic coil with current can repel or attract the magnet (depending on the polarity of current), and the force on non-magnetic stainless steel (e.g. type 316) is negligibly small; magnetic materials react with strong forces

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Only three elements are ferromagnetic at room temperature: iron, cobalt, and nickel. Further six are ferromagnetic at lower and very low temperatures: gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, and thulium.

The rest exhibit either diamagnetic or paramagnetic properties (antiferromagnets are macroscopically indistinguishable from paramagnets).

It is also possible for a combination of non-magnetic elements to exhibit magnetic behaviour, as it is the case for example for Heusler alloys, for example Cu₂MnSn, Cu₂MnAl, or Pd₂MnAl.⁴⁾ However, these materials are not used in industrial applications.

Periodic table of elements, with magnetic properties⁵⁾ (at very low temperatures, and also high pressure, many elements become superconducting and hence strongly diamagnetic)

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Molar magnetic susceptibility of chemical elements at room temperature⁶⁾

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• Magnetic materials
• Magnetism of chemical elements