Abstract
Electrorheological (ER) fluids generally consist of highly polarizable or conductive particles in insulating fluids. Application of electric fields of order 1 kV/mm significantly alters the rheology of these fluids, thus making possible a wide range of electro-mechanical devices, such as automotive shock absorbers. One of the critical issues in the performance of ER fluid devices is the strength of the fluid. In this paper, we summarize our current understanding of the electrostatic forces in ER fluids and how they affect fluid properties. This understanding is based on detailed theoretical analysis of the electric fields between particles, including finite element analysis (FEA), in addition to measurements of shear modulus and yield strength of model systems. The effects of dielectric constant mismatch, conductivity mismatch, insulating layers on metallic particles, and fluid breakdown are considered.
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© 1995 Springer Science+Business Media New York
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Davis, L.C., Ginder, J.M. (1995). Electrostatic Forces in Electrorheological Fluids. In: Havelka, K.O., Filisko, F.E. (eds) Progress in Electrorheology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1036-3_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1036-3_7
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