Field-induced Deformation and Coalescence of Droplets Stabilized by Magnetic Particles

Emulsions stabilized by magnetic particles are promising systems for droplet manipulation in soft materials and pharmaceutical applications. The response of the particles to external magnetic fields offers additional tunability of droplet shape and coalescence behavior. We present lattice Boltzmann simulations of droplets stabilized by ellipsoidal magnetic particles subjected to uniform magnetic fields. We show that particle coverage and field strength govern the droplet deformation and particle arrangement at the interface. The magnetic field leads to reorientation and migration of the particles on the flattening interface, thereby exposing the tips of the deformed droplet. We demonstrate that this effect can be leveraged to induce coalescence of nearby droplets. This mechanism offers strategies for designing magnetically responsive droplet systems for targeted drug release applications.