The surfactant (the same kind of chemical used in detergent to remove stains) remains ultra-slippery and refuses to let the nanoparticles attach to each other.The magnetite acts as magnetite does and is attracted/repelled based on the magnetic field – all those little nanoparticles respond to the force and start moving.Here are several of the key interactions that happen: Imagine that you apply a magnetic force to a ferrofluid, say, through a permanent magnet you have lying around. Think of it as a very careful chemical balancing act involving many different forces all hitting a sweet spot. Okay, but how does the ferrofluid magically transform into spikes and those crazy hedgehog shapes? They are even subject to good old Brownian motion, which keeps the ferrofluid evenly distributed and slick for long periods of time. That’s so small that these particles rarely even settle to the bottom of the fluid - they just stay suspended, floating around. Improved techniques eventually yielded easy ways to splice iron oxide into nanoparticles around 10 nanometers wide. Back in the 1960s, experiments in chemistry showed that ferrofluids could be created and stabilized - a discovery actually made by NASA while searching for ways to control liquid fuel in the weightlessness of space. The more complicated explanation is all about nanoparticles. Ferrofluid is basically little bits of this stuff suspended in goo that’s the easy answer. The most common kind of iron oxide used in ferrofluid is known as magnetite, because - you guessed it - it’s a ferromagnetic material that’s not only attracted to magnets, but that can also be magnetized and turned into a permanent magnet itself. The typical ferrofluid you see in viral videos is made by mixing a bunch of very, very small bits of iron oxide with oil, and usually some kind of surfactant to prevent the pieces from clogging together. But what exactly is this stuff, and why does it act that way? Is it really some type of liquid magnet? Perhaps more importantly, can you get some? Let’s dive in! Ferrofluid: When magnets go nano If you’ve seen those videos with fascinating ink-like fluid spiraling into thorns and prickling patterns, you’ve seen ferrofluid. This product was featured in our Holiday Gift Guide! Check it out to find gift inspiration for everyone in your life.
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