A ferrofluid droplet on a superhydrophobic surface is subjected to increasing magnetic field of a cylindrical permanent magnet. This results in division into numerous daughter droplets that form different static self-assembled patterns to minimize their total energy. In the end, the magnetic field is decreased, resulting in relaxation of the conical daughter droplets into spherical ones.
For more information see following publication:
Timonen J.V.I., Latikka M., Leibler L., Ras R.H.A., Ikkala O.
Switchable Static and Dynamic Self-Assembly of Magnetic Droplets on Superhydrophobic Surfaces,
Science (2013) 253-257. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1233775)
See also related videos:
Video 1
Magnetically triggered droplet splitting on a superhydrophobic surface
http://youtu.be/3PRogMaSo40
Video 3
Reversible switching between static and dynamic self-assembly of magnetic droplets
http://youtu.be/UtBNbDhTKR4
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