Magnetic Liquid Marbles: A “Precise” Miniature Reactor

Abstract

Magnetic liquid marbles capable of hosting both aqueous and organic fluids may serve as new miniature chemical reactors. Chemical reactions can occur either within a single liquid marble or between two magnetic liquid marbles (as illustrated). The liquid marbles can also interact with external devices simply by opening and closing the powdery shell under a magnetic field.

Glycerol as high‐permittivity liquid filler in dielectric silicone elastomers

“…The idea of using high-permittivity polar liquids as fillers in dielectric elastomers was also supported in a concept of generating water marbles that are responsive to high electric and magnetic fields. [24][25][26][27] Liquid marbles are often described as non-stick droplets coated with micrometer-sized hydrophobic particles. [28] The liquid marbles were proven to actuate upon exposure to sufficiently high electric fields.…”

Interpretation of elasticity of liquid marbles

“…Marbles coated by graphite and carbon black, which are not strongly hydrophobic, were also reported [14][15]. A variety of media, including organic and ionic liquids and liquid metals, could be converted into liquid marbles [16][17][18]. Liquid marbles were successfully exploited for microfluidics [1,4,[18][19][20][21], water pollution detection [22], gas sensing [23], blood typing [24] and optical probing [25].…”

Free running droplets on packed powder beds

“…Drops with lower γ are encapsulated by using fluorinated polymeric particles [6,7]. Here, we show that ethanol-water drops spontaneously move over the horizontal surface of a hydrophobic powder and become partially coated with particles ( Fig.…”