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Topic: carrier fluid for ferrofluid  (Read 3086 times)

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Offline Tittywahah

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carrier fluid for ferrofluid
« on: April 18, 2014, 02:01:03 PM »
I have read that Kerosene makes a good carrier fluid for ferrofluid.  It is non polar organic solvent.  Paraffin which contrary to what I have heard is not the same as kerosene for many reasons, both as far as alkane make-up is concerned wise and geographical regions of production.  I need to use something less smelly/toxic than paraffin, which has too many different forms, and the only paraffin that is available to me is listed as 'sweetened' for lamps and burners.  Does anybody have any ideas please?

Offline Borek

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Re: carrier fluid for ferrofluid
« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2014, 02:22:46 PM »
There is a medical paraffin sold in drugstores and apothecaries, usually without any additives (although I have seen it with added menthol). Check if you can't try it.
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Offline Tittywahah

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Re: carrier fluid for ferrofluid
« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2014, 03:37:28 PM »
Thankyou Borek, you gave me an idea.  I will se if that is in our shops.  Searching for the molecular structure of this was difficult, it needs to have a non poalr tail and polar head.  Anyway the idea you gave me was to get some johnsons baby oil we have, naturally it has a similar structure to mineral oil, (plus it smells very nice), there is absolute separation from water even after hard mixing,  but obviously I will try it when I have made all the other ingredients.

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