Enhancing compressive strength of electrorheological fluid by patterning the electrode

Abstract

Slip at the interface of solidified electrorheological （ER） fluid and electrodes is harmful for ER applications. Compression tests using four kinds of electrodes, namely the smooth, hole array patterned by laser pulse, nylon net covered, and acid etched column patterned electrodes, have been done, respectively. Results show that laser patterned and nylon net covered electrodes significantly enhanced the compressive stress of the ER fluid. The enhancement is ascribed to the increase of local electric field near electrodes after patterning, which increased the interfacial strength between ER fluid and electrodes, and effectively suppressed the slip of solidified ER fluid from electrode. The tests of current density during compression and the finite element analysis of the electric field distribution of patterned electrodes supported this slip suppression effect. The results raised a fundamental question of what is the real strength of ER fluids, since the slip of highly solidified ER fluid are usually not considered during various tests. This investigation also shows that patterning electrodes is a good way to improve mechanical performances of ER fluids.