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Ferrofluid

Webopedia Staff
Last Updated May 24, 2021 7:43 am
(n.) A fluid in which fine particles of iron, magnetite or cobalt are suspended, typically in an oil. A ferrofluid is superparamagnetic and can create liquid seals held in position by magnetic fields. One application of ferrofluids is to keep dust off of the drive shafts of magnetic disk drives.

Ferrofluids were invented by NASA as a way to control the flow of liquid fuels in space.