The present invention discloses a method for a reversible alteration of a magnetic state of a material. According to a step a), an electrochemical cell with at least one first electrode of a first polarity and at least one second electrode of a second polarity opposing the first polarity is provided, wherein the at least one first electrode at least comprises a ferromagnetic host material with intercalation sites for a reception of non-magnetic atoms, and wherein the at least one second electrode at least comprises an amount of the non-magnetic atoms. According to a step b), the electrochemical cell is consecutively charged and/or discharged to allowing at least a part of the amount of the non-magnetic atoms to move between the intercalation sites the host material and the second electrode, by which movement the magnetic state of the material is reversibly altered. Hereby, the host material comprises a structure which is retained during the alteration of the magnetic state of the material.
Further, a device for a reversible alteration of a magnetic state of a material, particularly for performing the method described above, is disclosed. The device is particularly used as part of a magnetic valve and/or of a magnetic shutter and/or of a magnetic sensor and/or a part thereof and/or in an array comprising magnetic beads and/or for magnetic manipulation and/or magnetic guidance and/or magnetic sorting of inorganic, organic or biological substances or a mixture thereof which may react to magnetic phenomena, especially in microfluidics.