Composites Reinforced in Three Dimensions by Using Low Magnetic Fields

Abstract

Dispersal in 3D: The fabrication of composites containing small proportions of nanoparticles is limited by the ability to disperse the particles uniformly in all three dimensions. Erb et al. (p. 199 ; see the Perspective by Fratzl ) describe a process for creating nanoparticle composites in which a magnetic field is used to align the nanoparticles. Surprisingly, the magnetic alignment of iron-oxide functionalized nanorods and discs was enabled using very small magnetic fields and low-volume fractions of magnetic nanoparticles, which allowed control of the orientation of the nanorods and discs three-dimensionally.