-- Posted by Wunarmdscissor at 7:06 pm on July 5, 2009 What role does the solvent(the liquid substance) in ferrofluid play? -- Posted by Angry Kumquat at 7:07 pm on July 5, 2009 Ferrofluids are used to form liquid seals around the spinning drive shafts in hard disks. The rotating shaft is surrounded by magnets. A small amount of ferrofluid, placed in the gap between the magnet and the shaft, will be held in place by its attraction to the magnet. The fluid of magnetic particles forms a barrier which prevents debris from entering the interior of the hard drive. According to engineers at Ferrotec, ferrofluid seals on rotating shafts typically withstand 3 to 4 psi, but these seals don't work well in translational seals for pistons because the fluid gets mechanically dragged out of the magnetic gap. -- Posted by Wunarmdscissor at 7:10 pm on July 5, 2009 Quote: from Angry Kumquat at 7:07 pm on July 5, 2009 Ferrofluids are used to form liquid seals around the spinning drive shafts in hard disks. The rotating shaft is surrounded by magnets. A small amount of ferrofluid, placed in the gap between the magnet and the shaft, will be held in place by its attraction to the magnet. The fluid of magnetic particles forms a barrier which prevents debris from entering the interior of the hard drive. According to engineers at Ferrotec, ferrofluid seals on rotating shafts typically withstand 3 to 4 psi, but these seals don't work well in translational seals for pistons because the fluid gets mechanically dragged out of the magnetic gap. That didn't answer my question.