Study on the Effect of Particle Size on Viscoelastic Properties of Magnetorheological Elastomers

Background: As an intelligent material, Magnetorheological Elastomer (MRE) has attracted extensive attention due to their excellent magnetic-induced properties. Aim: In addition to the matrix and interface, magnetic particle is the most critical factor in the magnetic properties of MRE. Particle size does not only affect on the magnetic properties of MRE, but also affects on interface and particle distribution. Therefore, studying the influence of particle size on viscoelastic properties is of great significance for the MRE. Methods: In this paper, several kinds of MREs containing Carbonyl Iron Particles (CIPs) with different sizes were prepared and characterized. The influences of frequency, strain and magnetic field on viscoelastic properties of these MRE samples have been discussed comprehensively. Results: The result shows that the particle size has a great impact on the performance of MRE, which indicates that the MRE performance can be improved by optimizing the particle size selection. In addition, possible physical mechanisms have been proposed to explain the effect of particles on MRE performance. Conclusion: This work can provide guidance for the performance improvement of MREs.