Project Process 2.1

Interesting website on all things magnetically related.

http://www.coolmagnetman.com/magattr.htm


Artist Working with Magnets
Sachiko Kodama
http://www.kodama.hc.uec.ac.jp/spiral/

“Morpho Towers--Two Standing Spirals” is an installation that consists of two ferrofluid sculptures that moves synthetically to music. The two spiral towers stand on a large plate that hold ferrofluid. When the music starts, the magnetic field around the tower is strengthened. Spikes of ferrofluid are born from the bottom plate and move up, trembling and rotating around the edge of the iron spiral.
The body of the tower was made by a new technique called “ferrofluid sculpture” that enables artists to create dynamic sculptures with fluid materials. This technique uses one electromagnet, and its iron core is extended and sculpted. The ferrofluid covers the sculpted surface of a three-dimensional iron shape that was made on an electronic NC lathe. The movement of the spikes in the fluid is controlled dynamically on the surface by adjusting the power of the electromagnet. The shape of the iron body is designed as helical so that the fluid can move to the top of the helical tower when the magnetic field is strong enough.

Ferrofluids 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrofluid

The area of ferrofluids is quite new, and very interesting.  Ferrofluid is made of small particles (~10nm) of magnetite (Fe3O4) surrounded by a surfactant such as tetramethylammonium hydroxide.  The surfactant is needed to keep the particles of magnetite from agglomerating (clumping together) due to magnetic and van der Waals interactions.  It's like having a slippery skin around the small particle of magnetite.  Thermal motion helps, but is not sufficient by itself.  A group of these prepared particles is like a solution that acts like a medium density liquid which is affected by magnetic fields.  When a magnet is brought near it, the liquid splits up and starts to group itself into spikes or hairs along the magnetic field lines as shown in the photos.  It is used to seal rotating shafts, and in speakers to help dampen the vibrations of the speaker coil, and help cool the coil.  Great stuff to play with!

Other Magnetic Objects That react to one another 

http://www.coolmagnetman.com/magmore.htm