Synthesis and characterisation of ferrofluid synthesized from iron and manganese

Ferrofluids were first used by NASA in the 1960s in order to control the motion of fluids within space, as a ferrofluid is a fluid that has unique magnetic properties. These magnetic properties allow the fluids to be applied to many different applications within various industries. Ferrofluids are not only used in more traditional methods such as within speakers but they are also being used in new industries, for examples in medical applications, due to their biocompatibility. This biocompatibility is due to ferrofluids being usually made from Iron or Manganese with a co-precipitation methodology. Ferrofluids have the unique advantage in being paramagnetic, where within a magnetic presence they would display magnetic properties and without this property the magnetism diminishes. In this study the properties, of iron based ferrofluids are investigated and some of the key variables that define the properties of these fluids are identified.