Using triaxial magnetic fields to create optimal particle composites

The properties of a particle composite can be controlled by organizing the particles into assemblies. The properties of the composite will depend on the structure of the particle assemblies, and for any give property there is some optimal structure. Through simulation and experiment we show that the application of heterodyned triaxial magnetic or electric fields generates structures that optimize the magnetic and dielectric properties of particle composites. We suggest that optimizing these properties optimizes other properties, such as transport properties, and we give as one example of this optimization the magnetostriction of magnetic particle composites formed in a silicone elastomer. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.