Fiber engineering turns simple fabrics into living systems that respond to magnetic fields.
Study: Vector-stimuli-responsive magnetorheological fibrous materials. Image Credit: New Africa/Shutterstock.com
A new study in Nature introduces a scalable method for creating magnetorheological fibers and fabrics that actively change shape, stiffness, and motion in response to magnetic fields. This is significant for progress in soft robotics, wearables, and human-machine interfaces.
Engineering Textiles That Respond to Vector Stimuli
While most responsive fibers rely on scalar stimuli, such as heat or moisture, this work uses vector-stimuli control, where both the direction and magnitude of a magnetic field determine the fabric’s mechanical behavior.
The research integrates soft magnetics with textile mechanics to achieve complex and programmable actuation in fabric structures.
Unlike previous magnetorheological (MR) systems that have used rigid elastomers or hard-magnetic materials requiring pre-magnetization, this approach embeds soft magnetic particles within a flexible polymer matrix, enabling more dynamic and reversible responses.
Additionally, these materials operate within magnetic field strengths that are safe for human interaction.
Scalable Fiber Fabrication With Magnetic Anisotropy
Using a melt-spinning process, the researchers produced continuous MR fibers containing up to 70 wt% carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) dispersed in a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) matrix.
Silica coatings on the CIPs reduced oxidation and enhanced their magnetic properties. A high-speed drawing stage aligned both the polymer chains and the embedded particles, yielding thin fibers (57 μm in diameter) with high tensile strength and pronounced magnetic anisotropy.
Particle alignment was confirmed using nano-computed tomography (nano-CT), a technique also applied later at the yarn and fabric levels. This alignment is essential for high torque response under external magnetic fields.
To guide the design of MR yarns, the team developed a theoretical model connecting magnetic responsiveness and mechanical stiffness to yarn geometry.
By optimizing the ratio of magnetic susceptibility to Young’s modulus (χ?/E) and analyzing cross-sectional structure (A?/I?), they engineered yarns with high actuation potential.
Seven MR fibers were twisted into each yarn with a controlled helical angle of 26 °, balancing flexibility and magnetic anisotropy. These yarns performed well and were compatible with standard textile fabrication techniques.
Functional Fabrics With Programmable Motion
The MR yarns were woven into textiles using plain, twill, and satin patterns. These woven fabrics exhibited field-controlled behaviors, such as directional bending and stiffness modulation, with the weave structure influencing the smoothness and range of actuation.
More complex weaves exhibited smoother and more distributed deformation under magnetic fields.
In parallel, the team developed cut-pile fabrics by inserting MR yarns vertically into a base fabric. These structures supported both in-plane shear and out-of-plane compression tuning.
Shear forces reached up to 110 mN/cm2 at higher yarn densities, while compression modulus could be tuned between 0.45 and 22.5 kPa depending on field strength and material density.
Both woven and cut-pile textiles demonstrated excellent durability, maintaining their performance after exceeding 10,000 mechanical cycles and exhibiting minimal creep during extended loading.
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Smart Textile Applications
The study also demonstrated how MR fabrics can be integrated into functional soft devices.
A linear fabric actuator created from woven MR textile achieved a 5 mm stroke and 150 mN of force under a 280 mT field. That actuator was embedded in a multilayered ventilation textile, where periodic magnetic activation caused the surface to flutter, increasing air exchange and tuning breathability between 34.5 and 58.5 g/m2/h.
A conformable gripping system, built with cut-pile MR fabrics and mounted on coaxial electromagnets, adapted to objects of varying shapes and softness. It successfully handled fragile items like blueberries and tofu. The adaptive stiffness allowed uniform force distribution without damaging the gripped materials.
The most technologically integrated prototype was a remote-controllable haptic glove. Made entirely of MR fabrics, the glove used spatially modulated magnetic fields to provide kinaesthetic and tactile feedback.
It produced a moment density of 2.6 N mm/g and fingertip pressures exceeding 150 mN, values comparable to those of commercial haptic devices, but without the need for motors, tethered actuators, or rigid structures.
This method provides a lighter and less restrictive alternative for applications in virtual interaction or remote manipulation.
Toward Smart Textiles That Feel and Move
By combining directional magnetic control, predictive modeling, and scalable fiber production, this work significantly advances the development of stimuli-responsive textile systems. The result is a fabric platform capable of bending, shearing, stiffening, and adapting in real-time, while maintaining comfort, flexibility, and safety for the user.
These results pave the way for intelligent garments and surfaces that can interact with users, respond to environments, and support next-generation soft robotic systems and human–machine interfaces.
Journal Reference
Pu J. et al. (2025). Vector-stimuli-responsive magnetorheological fibrous materials. Nature. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09706-4