Study of the deformation of ferrofluid droplets in a magnetic field

Abstract

We have studied the deformation of large magnetic agglomerates (2 to 20 μm) in a weak magnetic field (up to 10 gauss) for a new kind of ferrofluid. The ellipsoid shape of the agglomerate is due to a competition between magnetic energy which favours elongated agglomerates in the field direction and surface energy which favours a spherical shape. We can deduce a value of the interfacial tension of the agglomerates σ = (1.5 ± 0.2). 10-4 erg.cm -2