A CuNi-Loaded Porous Magnetic Soft Material: Preparation, Characterization and Magnetic Field-Controlled Modulus

Abstract

Novel porous magnetic soft materials (pMSMs) based on a poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) porous matrix filled with CuNi nanoparticles (NPs) of around 70 nm were synthesized. Initially, magnetic CuNi NPs were fabricated by the reduction of Ni and Cu ions with hydrazine hydrate in ethylene glycol medium in the absence of other capping agents. The pMSMs are subsequently fabricated by mixing CuNi NPs and PVA through freezing-drying process. The as-obtained pMSMs can respond to a magnetic field, i.e., the compressive modulus increase under a magnetic field of 0.23 T. The experimental results indicate that CuNi NPs can easily move to form chain-like structures under the application of a magnetic field. A combination of direct observation and finite element modeling has shown that under the influence of a magnetic field, chain-like aggregates of CuNi NPs lead to self-reinforcement of the pMSMs and, thus, to the increased compressive modulus. From a technological point of view, these materials with good magnetic responsiveness and moderate mechanical strength have potential applications in artificial muscle, soft actuators and drug release, to name a few.

Combination of Micelle Collapse and CuNi Surface Dissolution for Electrodeposition of Magnetic Freestanding Chitosan Film

“…In fact, the phase separation phenomenon is quite commonly seen during the preparation procedure for the CuNi system. Our group recently prepared CuNi via electrodeposition and chemical coreduction [ 28 , 30 ], both of which produced nanomaterials consisting of Cu-rich and Ni-rich phases. The different reduction potentials and nucleation rates are responsible for the phase separation.…”

“…Considering the magnetic materials, the binary CuNi system has attracted the attention of researchers due to its electrocatalytic property, antifouling properties, high tensile strength, and good corrosion resistance [ 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. From the magnetic point of view, Ni-rich CuNi alloys (i.e., Ni content greater than 61%) are known to be ferromagnetic [ 29 ].…”