YIELD PROCESS OF ELECTRORHEOLOGICAL FLUID WITH POLYANILINE PARTICLE

Abstract

Electrorheological behaviors of polyaniline/silicone oil suspension were observed by using a modified Couette type rheometer with high resolution for shear stress. The yield behaviors were examined over a wide range of shear strain. The storage modulus and loss tangent were determined under a constant dc electric field. It was clarified that the polyaniline-based ER fluid yields two different strain amplitudes, i.e. about 1% and 50%. The stress-strain curves obtained from shear flow experiments also suggested the existence of two-step yield process. The yield process was found to be dependent on the electric field strength and the particle concentration in different manners. The yield behavior observed is discussed in relation to the structure of particle clusters which causes the ER effect.