POS8-1280
Programmable Microfluidic Flow through Collective Magnetic Oscillation of Microstructures
Topic
S8. Frontiers of Functional Polymers in Biology and Medicine
When and Where
Oct 1, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Jinkee HONG
Ki Su KIM
Presenter(s)
Hojun Moon (Hanyang University)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Magnetically responsive polymer composites have emerged as attractive materials for dynamic microactuators owing to their remote controllability and reversible deformation. However, the viscoelastic nature of conventional soft polymers often results in slow mechanical relaxation, limiting deformation amplitude under rapidly varying magnetic fields. In this presentation, we present magnetic micropillar arrays capable of rapid and synchronized oscillation under a rotating magnetic field. The micropillars, consisting of a soft elastomer embedded with hard magnetic particles, exhibit stable high-frequency actuation while maintaining large deformation amplitudes. By engineering the magnetization profile, magnetic field conditions, and anisotropic pillar geometry, diverse deformation modes, including bending, twisting, and torsional motion, are achieved. Furthermore, the collective oscillation of the micropillar arrays translates microscale deformation into macroscopic functions, enabling controllable fluid transport and locomotion of soft robotic systems. The direction of fluid flow is programmed through point- and line-symmetric oscillation modes of the array, demonstrating control over collective actuation. This work provides a design strategy for magnetically responsive polymer microstructures with programmable dynamic behavior and highlights their potential for applications in microfluidics, soft robotics, and multifunctional polymer devices.
