Flexible magnetic filaments

Flexible magnetic filaments, created recently in different labs, possess interesting physical properties such as novel buckling instabilities. These magnetic filaments may be used as sensors in different conditions or as mixers for microfluidics applications. This paper reviews recent achievements in this new field, based on the extension of the Kirchhoff model of elastic rods by including the orientating effect of the magnetic field upon the filaments. As an illustration of the various intriguing properties revealed by the model, self-propelling under the action of an AC magnetic field is discussed.