Preparation Of Magnetic Fluids With Polar Solvent Carriers

Stable aqueous dispersion of magnetite colloid of about 10 nm in diameter was obtained by allowing an anionic or nonionic surfactant to adsorb on the hydrophobic surface of magnetite particles prepared by monomolecular adsorption of oleate. Sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, sodium oleate and poly (oxyethylene) nonyl phenyl ethers whose hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) are higher than 12 were suitable for giving a second adsorption layer to obtain a stable dispersion. Stability of the colloidal suspensions depends upon pH of the solution and is controlled by the dissociation of the adsorbed surfactant in the second layer. The addition of ethyleneglycol, which was used for lowering the freezing point of the dispersion, did not affect the stability when used in amounts smaller than 60% of water. Preparation of diester-based ferrofluids was also attempted by the same procedure using a nonionic surfactant as second layer molecule. Hydrophobic magnetite colloid, which had been preliminarily coated with mono-molecular oleate, was suspended in di(2-ethylhexyl) agipate, azerate, and sebacate respectively, and dispersion stability was investigated by adding various poly (oxyethylene) nonyl phenyl ethers of different HLB values. It was found that those with HLB values between 10.9 and 13.3 were suitable for this purpose. Stabilities of the dispersions in a magnetic field were investigated up to 1 T by applying an electromagnetic field. No separation of dispersant was observed and each magnetite dispersion displayed the characteristics of a magnetic fluid.