Ferrocell, Magnetic Fields Viewer

Difficulty of realization 7/10

Step 1: How to Work

This is the best magnetic field viewer I've ever seen. The field lines are displayed with clarity like no other device or trick you can do.

Apply light and magnetism to either surface. Polarization of the applied magnetic field will determine the "angle of incidence" light experiences as it exits the cell.
Using a permanent magnet is the easiest way to apply a polar field and see how a Ferrocell will change the path of light and appear as a holographic image to the viewer.
One component of the viewed image represents the Null Zone of the field in 3-D. This is the lowest potential or Zero Point. Each point of light will follow a path in relation to its relative position in space around the magnetic field. Another component we see is the Neel or more generally, the Bloch Wall. This appears as a perpendicular band through the center of the magnetic field.

Step 2: How It Make

To build a Ferrocell you need to:

2 glass plates or acrylic perspex sheets
Ferrofluid
Mineral oil
A LED strip
Some neodymium magnets

Dilute ferrofluid with mineral oil in a ratio 1/4 ferrofluid and 3/4 Mineral Oil

Distribute the preparation onto a glass plate and place the second plate over the first so that the oil spills over the entire surface. Eliminate any air bubbles by pressing on the glass to get the bubbles off the edge. The preparation with the ferrofluid is so dirty takes the appropriate precautions to avoid spoiling the things around you

Seal the edges of the plate. I used the simple transparent tape.

Put the plate over a strip of LED as seen in the video, approaching a powerful magnet you will see distinctly the lines of its magnetic field.

If you like this experiment visit and subscribe to my youtube channel "Magnetic Games" http://bit.ly/MagneticGames

This amazing invention was made by Timm Vanderelli

Comments

[ScienceGuy]

I was trying to build one on my own. Used round acrylic glass from Amazon. The results were horrible! Had some thinner square sheets of acrylic glass lying around. Better results but still extremely weak. Now I ordered some borosilicate glass and I am really hoping to get better results. This is a much trickier nut to crack than I thought...

[sonderling]

beautiful effect. but it's definitely NOT the magnetic field (lines).

[CraigH23]

An old fashioned CRT TV displaying a plain white screen shows magnetism well, but then it stays magnetised

[parkshaffer]

To remove/reset the CRT magnetization, suspend a disk magnet from a string, hold it near the CRT screen and twirl the magnet so that alternately N and S are applied to the region. The slowly pull the string & magnet away from the CRT and..."Viola". Great trick.

[JasonB600]

Or make a degaussing coil. There is generally an internal degaussing coil too that fires when the unit is first energized. Some sets had an option built in so that the end user could initiate the degaussing process manually.

[PeterMerc]

Just a thought. This is true for colour televisions, which have a metal shadow mask on the inside of the tube face that can become magnetised. Old fashioned, monochrome tubes have no mask and so are not permanently affected. Anyone out there still got a black-and-white telly?

[pexys]

I've made couple of these if Perspex sheets. Bought 4xA4 off of Amzon. It does work, but not very well. I get very little magnetic lines and only when close to the sheet itself. Tried neodymium magnets and regular ones. Using rgb led strip.
Today I disassembled few photo frames (to try with glass) and although I'm still not getting the results like in your video,it was a big improvement! I'd suggest to anyone to build this with glass, unless you have spare Perspex lying around.
Nonetheless this is one awesome and excellent instructable! Iv'e been wondering for some time how to see them lines without buying any overpriced ferrocells.
Thank you, Sir, for sharing this!

[MladenS6]

Could inkjet be used as ferofluid?

[MladenS6]

I also have some quantity of Balistol oil (used for gun cleaning) could it be used instead of mineral oil?

[mirzah1]

would like to hear from someone who has actually made this,found it almost impossible to contain the fluid with tape at the sides, nothing but leaks and a mess

[flembag]

This is one of the coolest things I have ever seen on instructables for how simple it is. Nice Job!!!

[Magnetic Games]

Thank you very much :-)

[UNSEPARABLE TECHSCIENTIFICS]

GREAT DEMONSTRATION OF MAGNETIC FIELD...

EXCELLENT WORK MY FRIEND!!!

[Magnetic Games]

thank you very much :)

[Gregarious]

Wow!...this is very 'Attractive'. Your version is 'poles apart' from the tiny viewing sheets you can buy.

I have 'pulled together' all the parts needed and will be putting one together soon (but I have a lot on my 'plate' at the moment).

Then I can test it in the 'field' and hope that my results don't 'go South'.

[Magnetic Games]

Thank you ... and enjoy :)

[mirzah1]

Very good invention , but you do not give any details of the LED strip,ie how big, and where available the rest is very simple but I am puzzled by the LED strip bit, can you explain more Please.

[Magnetic Games]

What you need are many equidistant light sources, I've seen someone use candles. Use any LED strip, RGB if you want to see the colored field lines.

[danbrown655]

Nicely done. I have been using many different types of magnetic field detection devices to help me visualize magnetic field interactions but this by far 'is' what I need. Definitely going to build one. I wonder what could be visualized if a box is built with one side removed, using your technique, if a 3-D visual can be obtained?

[Magnetic Games]

thank you :). I'm working on a 3D project with ferrocell using 3 plates. 3D perception is only with large and powerful magnets. Within a month or two I will post the video on youtube