Scientists create a permanent ferro liquid

The discovery has enormous potential in robotics, microelectronics and related fields.

A ferro liquid is a magnetic substance in which iron oxides are suspended. This effect can only be achieved using another magnet which means that the properties of such liquids are not constant. 

But the researchers from the Lawrence Berkley National laboratory have managed to overcome this obstacle and create a unique liquid substance whose magnetic properties do not depend on other variables.

This ambitious task was resolved using a 3D printer that produced millimeter-sized drops of liquid containing billions of iron oxide nano particles. After being suspended in another solution, iron dioxide spread along the edges of the droplets joining them together. 

The nano particles’ uniform positioning enabled them to form a stable magnetic shell. The researchers are now thinking about the ways to use the resulting ferro liquid with robotics viewed as a top priority target. They intend to design micro robots that could deliver nutrients directly into living things.