Magnetorheological Elastomers and Their Applications
Magnetorheological elastomers (MRE) are smart materials whose modulus or mechanical performances can be controlled by an external magnetic field. In this chapter, the current research on the MRE materials fabrication, performance characterisation, modelli
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Abstract Magnetorheological elastomers (MRE) are smart materials whose modulus or mechanical performances can be controlled by an external magnetic field. In this chapter, the current research on the MRE materials fabrication, performance characterisation, modelling and applications is reviewed and discussed. Either anistropic or isotropic or MRE materials are fabricated by different curing conditions where magnetic field is applied or not. Anistropic MREs exhibit higher MR effects than isotropic MREs. Both steady-state and dynamic performances were studied through both experimental and theoretical approaches. The modelling approaches were developed to predict mechanical performances of MREs with both simple and complex structures. The sensing capabilities of MREs under different loading conditions were also investigated. The review also includes recent representative MRE applications such as adaptive tuned vibration absorbers and novel force sensors.
1 Introduction to Magnetorheological Materials Magnetorheological (MR) material is a class of smart materials whose rheological properties can be controlled rapidly and reversibly by the application of an external magnetic field. Traditionally, it is composed of MR fluids and MR foams, while Magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) became a new branch of this kind of smart
W. H. Li (&) X. Z. Zhang School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong NSW 2522, Australia e-mail: [email protected] H. Du School of Electrical, Computer and Telecommunications Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong NSW 2522, Australia
P. M. Visakh et al. (eds.), Advances in Elastomers I, Advanced Structured Materials 11, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-20925-3_12, Ó Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013
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material. MR materials typically consist of micron-sized magnetic particles suspended in a non-magnetic matrix [1]. In MR fluids, magnetic particles, such as iron or carbonyl iron particles, are suspended in a liquid carrier fluid. MR foams, in which the controllable fluid is contained in an absorptive matrix or magnetic particles are dispersed in a foam-like matrix, are solid-state materials with very low intrinsic modulus [1]. MREs are composites where magnetic particles are suspended in a non-magnetic solid or gel-like matrix. The particles inside the elastomer can be homogeneously distributed or they can be grouped (e.g. into chain-like columnar structures). To produce an aligned particle structure, the magnetic field is applied to the polymer composite during crosslinking so that the columnar structures can form and become locked in place upon the final cure [2–10]. The magnetic interactions between particles in these composites depend on the magnetization orientation of each particle and on their spatial relationship, coupling the magnetic and strain fields in these materials and giving rise to a number of interesting magneto-mechanical phenomena. For example, Shiga et al. [2] prepared a kind of composite ge
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