Magnetorheological elastomers with high variability of their mechanical properties

Abstract

The viscoelastic properties of magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) composites containing different concentrations of iron particles in a silicone matrix and the change of these properties in a magnetic field of variable strength were investigated. MRE samples with small and large iron particles as well as isotropic and anisotropic particle arrangements in the silicone matrix were compared. The results show a strong increase of the storage and loss moduli of the MRE in the magnetic field. A more pronounced influence of the anisotropic configuration was observed for the samples with small particles than for those with large particles. The relative increase factor of the storage modulus in the magnetic field was found to be an order of magnitude higher for the composites with large than with small particles. As a maximum, an enhancement of the storage modulus from less than 30 kPa at zero field to about 2500 kPa at a magnetic flux density of 700 mT, corresponding to an increase factor of 90, could be achieved under the selected experimental conditions.