THERMODYNAMIC STABILITY OF A SUSPENSION OF MAGNETIC NEEDLES.

Since elongated chains containing many single particles can exist in a magnetic field (MF), it was of interest to consider the question of the thermodynamic stability of a suspension of magnetic needles with respect to stratification and the formation of conglomerates of particles with orientational order, but without a mean magnetic moment. This paper treats this question by the method of collective variables, which is used to investigate the thermodynamic properties of various systems with long-range forces. The investigation shows that orientational ordering of a suspension of magnetic needles is possible in principle, and the orientational ordering of chainlike aggregates of single MF particles is also quite feasible.