Editing Ferrofluid (section)

====Heat transfer====
An external magnetic field imposed on a ferrofluid with varying susceptibility (e.g., because of a temperature gradient) results in a nonuniform magnetic body force, which leads to a form of [[heat transfer]] called [[thermomagnetic convection]].  This form of heat transfer can be useful when conventional convection heat transfer is inadequate; e.g., in miniature microscale devices or under [[microgravity|reduced gravity]] conditions.

Ferrofluids of suitable composition can exhibit extremely large enhancement in thermal conductivity (k; ~300% of the base fluid thermal conductivity). The large enhancement in k is due to the efficient transport of heat through percolating nanoparticle paths. Special magnetic [[nanofluid]]s with tunable thermal conductivity to viscosity ratio can be used as multifunctional ‘smart materials’ that can remove heat and also arrest vibrations (damper). Such fluids may find applications in microfluidic devices and microelectromechanical systems ([[MEMS]]).<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1021/jp204827q |title=Tuning of Thermal Conductivity and Rheology of Nanofluids Using an External Stimulus|date=2011|last1=Shima|first1=P. D.|last2=Philip|first2=John|journal=The Journal of Physical Chemistry C|volume=115|issue=41|page=20097}}</ref>