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Which boldfaced option is correct int he following?

Zhang and his team reportedly concocted the revolutionary ooze by mixing neodymium magnet particles with household detergent borax and the resin polyvinyl alcohol, the first ingredient so (that) it can be controlled magnetically, Reuters reported. They then coated the toxic magnetic particles with silica to hypothetically make them safe for use inside the human body.

Zhang and his team reportedly concocted the revolutionary ooze by mixing neodymium magnet particles with household detergent borax and the resin polyvinyl alcohol, the first ingredient such that it can be controlled magnetically, Reuters reported. They then coated the toxic magnetic particles with silica to hypothetically make them safe for use inside the human body.

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    Asking "which is correct" is off-topic. To make this question on-topic you'd need to add some research or context.
    – Astralbee
    Commented May 11, 2022 at 11:30

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It should be "so that".

"So that" denotes the purpose or the effect of something or it carries the idea ‘in order that’ while "such that" emphasizes on the manner or the way to which extent something is described. Source

In this case the first ingredient causes the ooze to be magnetically controlled.

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  • If "the first ingredient" were not in the sentence, I'd think "so that" is okay.
    – Apollyon
    Commented May 11, 2022 at 9:51
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    Your distinction itself is correct (so explicitly references to purpose, whereas such simply alludes to effect, not necessarily purposeful). But in the cited context, obviously the only reason for adding neodymium is to enable magnetic control, so so that is perfectly valid. And in fact, since so that is far more common in such contexts, I think one could reasonably say it "should" be so that. But in practice, for the exact context, it's just a stylistic choice - where the writer deliberately chose the more "erudite" alternative.
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented May 11, 2022 at 10:31
  • @FumbleFingers Is this correct then? The added sugar is so (that) the cake tastes sweet.
    – Apollyon
    Commented May 13, 2022 at 2:44
  • @Apollyon: Yes. Strictly speaking, The added sugar is so (that) the cake tastes sweet is "reduced" from something like The reason for (the existence of) the added sugar is..., but your version is perfectly natural in informal contexts. Note that that is (almost?) always optional after so in such constructions, but it must be included in the synonymous alternative in order that [some desired outcome should be the result].
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented May 13, 2022 at 10:53

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