About this Research Topic
Magneto-sensitive soft materials are new synthetic functional materials that is normally composed of ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic particles (size in a range from several nanometers to hundreds of micrometers), carriers (including water, organic solvent, liquids, gels, polymer and foams), surfactants and necessary additives. Being different from “hard” solid materials, “soft” means magneto-sensitive materials exist in the form of colloidal liquids, gels, and elastomers, such as magnetic fluids (MF), also called ferrofluids, magnetic liquids, magnetorheological fluids (MRF), magnetorheological gels (MRG), magnetorheological elastomers (MRE) and magnetorheological foams (MRFoam), so as to possess fluidity and magnetism simultaneously and can be easily deformed by applying external magnetic field force.
Differences in the size of the magnetic particles and different carriers bring to magneto-sensitive soft materials distinct characteristics and behavior and provide many new perspectives and ideas for engineering application. Until now, there are nearly 100 kinds of unique applications of magneto-sensitive soft materials in electronics, instrumentation, machinery equipment, chemical, environmental, medical and other wide range of industries. As increasing demands on devices and systems based on magneto-sensitive materials, synthesis methods, electromagnetic performance and rheology behavior are very important factors for practical. This Research Topic focuses on collecting research advances in materials synthesis and modulation of properties for practical applications, and particular attention is given to the promising application of magneto-sensitive soft materials like 3D/4D printing and soft robots.
In this Research Topic, review and original research papers on the magneto-sensitive characterization and rheology behavior, and effective applications of magneto-sensitive soft materials are solicited. Specifically, the fundamentals of constitutive relations of the materials in the forms of phenomenological and parametric approaches, are expected. Design and optimization of the mechanical structure of devices and systems based on magneto-sensitive soft materials for rotating sealing, controllable damping, torque transmission, 3D/4D printing, active actuators and sensors are also welcome. Specific applications of magneto-sensitive soft materials in medicine, environment, agriculture, robot technology are particularly emphasized.
The proposed topics for this Research Topic include, but are not limited to:
• Research on physicochemical properties, magneto-sensitive characteristics and rheology behavior of magneto-sensitive soft materials
• Design and optimization of devices and systems on magnetic fluids sealing, magnetorheological fluids damping, sensors and actuators using magneto-sensitive soft materials
• Behavioral model and simulated calculation of different types of magneto-sensitive soft materials
• Research on electron conducting and electromagnetism properties of soft magnetorheological gels
• Biomimetic applications of magnetoactive soft materials for 3D/4D printing magnetic actuators, soft robots, etc.
Differences in the size of the magnetic particles and different carriers bring to magneto-sensitive soft materials distinct characteristics and behavior and provide many new perspectives and ideas for engineering application. Until now, there are nearly 100 kinds of unique applications of magneto-sensitive soft materials in electronics, instrumentation, machinery equipment, chemical, environmental, medical and other wide range of industries. As increasing demands on devices and systems based on magneto-sensitive materials, synthesis methods, electromagnetic performance and rheology behavior are very important factors for practical. This Research Topic focuses on collecting research advances in materials synthesis and modulation of properties for practical applications, and particular attention is given to the promising application of magneto-sensitive soft materials like 3D/4D printing and soft robots.
In this Research Topic, review and original research papers on the magneto-sensitive characterization and rheology behavior, and effective applications of magneto-sensitive soft materials are solicited. Specifically, the fundamentals of constitutive relations of the materials in the forms of phenomenological and parametric approaches, are expected. Design and optimization of the mechanical structure of devices and systems based on magneto-sensitive soft materials for rotating sealing, controllable damping, torque transmission, 3D/4D printing, active actuators and sensors are also welcome. Specific applications of magneto-sensitive soft materials in medicine, environment, agriculture, robot technology are particularly emphasized.
The proposed topics for this Research Topic include, but are not limited to:
• Research on physicochemical properties, magneto-sensitive characteristics and rheology behavior of magneto-sensitive soft materials
• Design and optimization of devices and systems on magnetic fluids sealing, magnetorheological fluids damping, sensors and actuators using magneto-sensitive soft materials
• Behavioral model and simulated calculation of different types of magneto-sensitive soft materials
• Research on electron conducting and electromagnetism properties of soft magnetorheological gels
• Biomimetic applications of magnetoactive soft materials for 3D/4D printing magnetic actuators, soft robots, etc.
Keywords: magneto-sensitive, soft materials, magnetic fluids, magnetorheological fluids, magnetorheological gels
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
