Langmuir, Vol.32, No.36, 9321-9328, 2016
Assembly of Superparamagnetic Filaments in External Field
We present a theoretical and simulation study of anchored magneto-elastic filaments in external magnetic field. The filaments are Composed of a mixture of superparamagnetic and nonmagnetic colloidal beads interlinked with elastic springs. We explore the steady-state structures of filaments with various composition and ending rigidity subject to external magnetic field parallel to,the surface. The interplay of, elastic and induced magnetic interactions results in a rich phase behavior with morphologies reminiscent of macromolecular folding: bent filaments, loops, sheets, helicoids, and other collapsed structures. Our results provide new insights into the design of hierarchically assembled supramolecular structures with controlled response to external stimuli.