This breakthrough, developed entirely with technology from the University of Granada’s laboratories, opens the door to applications in biomedicine, photonics, and soft robotics
Researchers at the University of Granada have developed a pioneering methodology for manufacturing advanced functional materials at unprecedented speeds. This technique makes it possible to accelerate and precisely control the self-assembly of nanomaterials using pulsed magnetic fields in two perpendicular axes.
This strategy overcomes current barriers in the assembly of nanomaterials: the slowness and defects that arise when particles group together spontaneously. The new method does not require physical molds or special containers, which is an advantage for the manufacture of advanced and reconfigurable materials for industrial applications.
The finding, published as a supplemental cover story in the prestigious journal ACS Nano, is based on the use of what scientists have called “pulsed biaxial magnetic fields.” The secret is a controlled magnetic disturbance, which acts as a guide that directs and increases the speed of the self-assembly of magnetic nanomaterials, obtaining fine control over the structure and its internal order (crystallinity).
“Four different types of structures have been discovered depending on the frequency and amplitude of the applied fields, shapes that until now were difficult to stabilize, opening up new possibilities for programming customized microstructures,” explains Guillermo Camacho Villar, a PhD student at the UGR and researcher on the study.
Emerging and current applications
But in which sectors does this scientific advance have an impact? “The materials we study are present in technologies where microstructure determines performance, such as vibration control and adaptive damping systems, microfluidic devices, photonic materials, and soft actuators,” explains Juan de Vicente Álvarez-Manzaneda, professor in the Department of Applied Physics at the UGR and researcher on the project.
The ability to program contactless self-assembly in very short times is particularly attractive for the design of reconfigurable materials (which change properties under stimuli), soft metamaterials, and components with real-time controllable response.
In practice, this may be relevant for optics and photonics, where the internal organization of particles affects properties such as light transmission or scattering; soft robotics and microrobotics, by enabling structures with adjustable mechanical behavior; aerospace, in vibration control and damping solutions with adaptive response materials; and automotive, in magnetorheological fluids and suspensions used in intelligent damping and dynamic control systems.
Science ‘Made in UGR’
Thanks to a magnetic field generator designed specifically at the F2N2Lab Singular Laboratory in Advanced Technologies, high-resolution videomicroscopy experiments, and simulations carried out at the Supercomputing Center of the University of Granada, researchers have been able to analyze in detail the temporal evolution of the aggregates and describe their growth dynamics with a ‘master curve’, which allows them to predict exactly how the materials will grow under different conditions, facilitating their industrial scaling.
The team is currently exploring ways to refine the technique to obtain even more complex architectures (sheets, spirals, particle foams, or hybrid structures) with the aim of expanding control over mechanical and functional properties.
In biomedicine, for example, this type of control over microstructures may be relevant for biofabrication and for the development of scaffolds and functional materials that interact with cells and tissues. In this regard, the authors of the study are collaborating with the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital in Granada.
The research was carried out by PhD student Guillermo Camacho Villar and Professor Juan de Vicente Álvarez-Manzaneda at the F2N2Lab of the University of Granada, with the support of projects funded by the Ministry of Science and European NextGenerationEU funds.
Bibliographic reference:
Camacho, G., & de Vicente, J. (2025). Template-Free Ultrafast Directed Self-Assembly Using Biaxial Toggled Magnetic Fields. ACS Nano, 19(31), 28873-28887. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.5c09450
Contact:
Juan de Vicente Álvarez-Manzaneda
Department of Applied Physics
Faculty of Sciences
University of Granada
Email: jvicente@ugr.es