Ferrofluid sculptures are amazing to look at. When you first see one, you might almost think it’s some kind of dark magic, or that it came from another planet, but it actually works because of magnetism.
Ferrofluid Sculpture
Tip: I like the music in the video. It’s made by The Thrillseekers and is called Synaesthesia.
A ferrofluid is a colloidal liquid filled with tiny ferromagnetic, or ferrimagnetic particles of about 10 nm in diameter that are suspended in a carrier fluid, usually an organic solvent or water, and becomes strongly magnetised in the presence of a magnetic field. Each particle is thoroughly coated with a 2 nm thick surfactant to inhibit clumping. Ferrofluid forms spikes along the magnetic field lines when the magnetic surface force exceeds the stabilising effects of fluid weight and surface tension.
Alessandro Brighetti “Schizophrenia” – Ferrofluid Sculpture
It was invented in 1963 by NASA’s Steve Papell as a liquid rocket fuel that could be drawn towards a pump inlet in a weightless environment by applying a magnetic field. That didn’t come to fruition, however, today, ferrofluids are used in a wide variety of applications, including electronics, engineering, medicine, and art.
Tip: You can find a lot of guides online on how to make your own ferrofluid at home!
