Magnetic Jewelry Clasp

The ferrofluid is one of the most fascinating inventions in human history. Essentially, it is a liquid that can respond to magnetic fields, and it exhibits some very peculiar properties. A number of things can happen to the fluid, including changing its shape. Essentially, many of these effects boil down to a change in the liquid?s viscosity. By applying a magnetic field, the liquid effectively changes from a fluid to a solid, conforming to a set shape. There are many different uses for ferrofluids in the modern world, and you might be surprised to learn that they are all around you. In this article, we will discuss what a ferrofluid is and how it is used.

What Are Ferrofluids?

There are two main components to ferrofluids. The first is simply a liquid of some sort. This can be water, but it may also be a liquid chemical, usually some sort of organic solvent. The second main ingredient is microscopic magnetic particles. These particles are small enough to be suspended in the solvent, and usually turn the fluid black. There may also be a third ingredient known as a surfactant, which acts to prevent the particles from clumping together. The particles themselves are often made of iron, which of course responds to magnetism.

The Effect Of A Magnetic Field

Turning on an electromagnet next to a ferrofluid has a remarkable effect. The fluid will often appear to come alive and form itself into unusual, geometric and alien shapes. This is due to the iron in the solution conforming to the shape of the magnetic field. Since the particles are suspended in a liquid, they are able to flow neatly and smoothly into any shape, including intricate and fractal designs. This can be very useful, as it allows a designer to work with a material that changes its shape on demand.

Applications

There are many everyday applications for these magnetic fluids, and you are probably not even aware of many of them. One obvious example is that of hard drives in computers. A magnetic fluid is used in these for a number of reasons. One is that it acts as a very good bearing material, providing very low hydraulic friction and allowing the disk to spin at very high speeds without wear. Secondly, its liquid nature prevents the ingress of dirt or dust, keeping the internal components of the drive pristine. The liquid seal is an extremely valuable property and is essential to the running of modern computers.

Conclusion

A ferrofluid is a remarkable thing, with properties that seem almost alien. Its ability to change from liquid to solid almost instantly in the presence of a magnetic field is extremely useful. It is used in many everyday situations such as hard drives, and is just another example of a fascinating technology at the heart of so much that we take for granted today.

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