Magnetically induced pattern formation in phase separating polymer-solvent-nanoparticle mixtures.
Permanent magnetic structures with controlled dimension and architecture (labyrinthine, hexagonal, or dispersed columnar) are formed in a partially miscible ferrofluid-nonferrofluid mixture under the influence of a perpendicular magnetic field. The origin of the permanent structures, which have characteristic lateral dimensions ranging from 1 to 10  μm, is the repartitioning of the ferrofluid carrier solvent into the nonferrofluid polymeric phase. This polymer-solvent phase separation under a magnetic field leads to departures from the expected final dimension of the magnetically stabilized ferrofluid droplet sizes.
Rungsawang
Rakchanok
R
Biological and Soft Systems Sector, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, CB3 0HE, United Kingdom.
da Silva
Joakim
J
Wu
Cheng-Pei
CP
Sivaniah
Easan
E
Ionescu
Adrian
A
Barnes
Crispin H W
CH
Darton
Nicholas J
NJ