Experimenting with Magnetorheological Fluids
9 May 2008, 15:00
Categories: smt-rheometry-smart-fluids
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Electrorheological fluids and magnetorheological fluids are two types of smart fluids that change in fluidity when they experience an electric or magnetic field. Magnetorheological fluid is sometimes described as a liquid that hardens near a magnet and becomes liquid again when you remove the magnet. Actually, the fluid does not transition from a liquid to a solid. Magnetic particles in the fluid, such as iron filings in corn oil, form stiff chains that align with the lines of magnetic flux to create small dams, reducing flow within a tube that contains the fluid. The fluidity is thus reduced to that of a paste or hard wax, until the magnetic force is removed.
Simon Field, of Scitoys, has posted a simple method for making magnetorheological fluids.
Posted by: The Editors
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