Is expanded steel metal a magnetic material? Can it shield RF electric field and magnetic field?
I do not know if it is a magnetic material, but probably it will signficantly attenuate the EM filed when the unit-element's dimensions are smaller than the wavelength. Try to simulate one cell of the grid in periodic boundery conditions to get a better understanding.
Dear Ronald,
This material may be magnetic because of its iron content. You can try to magnetize it by putting it in the axis of a an electric coil. Because of the shape it can be magnetized in the direction of the wire. Even this if the material is hard is will be also hard to magnetize. However this material is conducting and can screen both the electric field and the magnetic field even if it is nonmagnetic.
If you want more effective screening against strong magnetic field you can use permalloy foils.
Best wishes
Whether steel is magnetic or not is easily checked with some permanent magnet...
But magnetic shielding is of lesser concern unless you generate large magnetic fields. The shielding of electrical fields is more important. As steel usually has a rather low conductance, it is way from ideal regarding the shielding of electrical fields. Here, copper is the better choice.
As an example for the meager shielding properties of steel: I have some underground flat where the light wells are covered by steel gratings (grid roughly 25 x 25 mm on the one side, 5 x 50 mm on the other side. Although these grids are way smaller than the wavelength of the frequencies of mobile phones, mobile operation underground is possible (with a bit of additional attenuation compared to above ground operation). That much about the shielding "quality" of steel gratings.
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