Ever wonder what really happens when self-infused silly putty meets a magnet? If so, this video should do the trick. Unlike regular silly putty, this piece has been infused with millions of micron-sized ferrous particles. The magnetic putty is not actually magnetic by itself, but is made so due to the infusion of iron powder particles. Continue reading for a video and more information.
The presence of the strong neodymium iron boron magnet (the silver cube in the video) magnetizes the ferromagnetic particles in the putty. When this happens, the ferrous particles align with each other and this alignment generates north and south magnetic poles, making the putty into a temporary magnet. Once magnetized, the putty will remain magnetized even after the rare-earth magnet has been removed from the putty. This effect persists for a few hours until thermal agitation shakes the particles and they lose their alignment.
[Source]
