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Understanding the role of inductors in power electronics
Inductors are typically used as energy storage devices in switched-mode power devices to produce DC current. The inductor, which stores energy, supplies energy to the circuit to maintain current flow during “off” switching periods, thus enabling topographies where output voltage exceeds input voltage.

Due to the way they work—by not only altering electric field but the magnetic field around it—many people struggle to understand them.

What is an inductor?
An inductor is arguably the simplest of all electronic components. It’s a passive two-terminal electrical component that stores energy in a magnetic field when electric current flows through it. Typically, an inductor will consist of an insulated wire that’s wound into a coil, much like a resistor. This design was settled on following extensive trial and error methods that considered methods like Hanna curves and area-product.

When the current flowing through the coil changes, the time-varying magnetic field induces voltage in the conductor with a polarity which opposes the change in current that created it. As such, inductors oppose any changes in current that pass through them.

The induced magnetic field also induces an electrical property known as inductance—the ratio of voltage to the rate of change of current. Inductance quantifies how much energy an inductor is capable of storing.

Inductor design and key components
The design of an inductor is governed by electrical, mechanical, and thermal requirements of a given application. In general, it involves:

Selecting the core material

Deciding a core shape and size

Selecting a winding wire

The core material is an enamel-coated magnetic wire typically made of copper which is then coated in layers of insulating polymer material. The winding can form many shapes, including circular, rectangular foil, and square cross-section. A magnetic wire is chosen to confine and guide the magnetic fields, and this is insulated to prevent problems like short circuits and breakdowns.

The different types of inductor
http://www.goldcoil.net/inductor/