Electrorheological properties of a suspension of a mesoporous molecular sieve (MCM-41)

We report on the electrorheological (ER) properties of an ER fluid made of suspensions of MCM-41 particles in silicone oil under a high electric field. The effect of the particle concentration on the ER performance was also investigated. Typical behaviors of shear stresses and apparent shear viscosities as functions of both the electric field and the sheer rate were observed for the ER system with a 20 wt.% particle suspension. In addition, a water content of ca. 6 wt.% in the MCM-41 particles was found to be responsible for their ER effect. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.