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Ferrofluid |
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Home → Ferrofluids → Ferrofluid
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Ferrofluids (FF) are stable colloid suspensions of magnetic particles of about 10 nm (magnetite, iron, etc.) finely dispersed in a carrying fluid that combines magnetic characteristics with fluidity. Ferrofluids are designed based upon the specific requirements of the device (seals, feedthroughs, sensors). Ferrofluids consist of miniature permanent magnets, coated by a thin protective film (surfactant) and a carrier fluid (silicone, kerosene, oil, water, etc.). By varying the saturation magnetization and viscosity, a multitude of ferrofluids can be created for any application.
Ferrofluids' unique feature is the combination of high fluidity with high magnetization - dozens of times greater than that of regular fluids.This is due to ferrofluids being imbued with enormous amounts of small spherical particles (of about 10nm) that are in fact miniature permanent magnets. Each of these particles is covered with a thin protective film (surfactant) that prevents the particles from adhesion, while they are distributed throughout the fluid volume by thermal motion. Therefore, unlike regular suspensions, the miniature permanent magnets within magnetic fluid remain in suspension and do not settle. This characteristic permits a long operating life.
Ferrofluids produced by FerroLabs, Inc. have an increased colloidal stability in strong and non-uniform magnetic fields. This was achieved by inventing new methods and specialized equipment for evaluating colloidal stability that resulted in creating a new technology of synthesizing magnetic colloids with an increased stability. The increased colloidal stability ensures good performance and durability of the ferrofluids used in various devices.
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1 — no magnetic field
2 — applied magnetic field |
1 — magnetic particle
2 — protective film |
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