Controlling post-impact dynamics of ferrofluid droplets with magnetic field

Abstract

Preventing droplets from splashing after impacting a thin layer or liquid pool is crucial in reducing cross-contamination, the spread of pathogens, and rough surfaces in three-dimensional (3D) printing. In this article, we demonstrate that an external magnetic field can be useful to actively control the post-impact dynamics of ferrofluid droplets. A simplified lattice Boltzmann method (SLBM) is applied to simulate the flow field with lower computational cost. For the magnetic field, a self-correcting procedure is coupled with SLBM by setting a permanent magnet of desired magnetic field strength at any location of the computational domain. In this article, four different phenomena are simulated, including static contact angle, dynamic contact angle, splashing droplet on a thin layer, and falling droplet into a pool same liquid. From the first two examples, it is deduced that a vertical non-uniform magnetic field not only controls the spreading diameter and apex height but also the puffy shape appearing at droplet laterals. In examples three and four, even more intricate crown structures and wave propagation are successfully controlled with the help of a permanent magnet. It is also discovered that a magnetic field introduced at an optimal starting moment improves control and speeds up the whole procedure.