Structure Evolution of Electrorheological Fluids under Flow Conditions

Abstract

Transparent electrode with a conducting film on a glass surface provides us a useful tool to observe the fired-induced structure formation in ER fluids directly under both quiescent and dynamic conditions. In this paper the flow and field-induced structure evolution in ER fluids will be studied in three flow conditions, i.e., (a) ER fluids flowing through a slit channel between two fixed parallel transparent electrodes, which construct a model ER valve, (b) ER fluids being sheared between two concentric transparent electrode tubes, which correspond to a conventional rotary rheometer and (c) ER fluids being sheared between two parallel plate disks, which correspond to an ER clutch. Shear-induced layer structure was observed even when the shear rate reaches 600 s -1. A tentative phase transition diagram between the layer structure and the homogeneous flow state will be given.