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.