The effect of chain-shaped aggregates on the dynamic properties of magnetic liquids is studied under the assumption that the chains can be modeled as straight and rigid. On the basis of microscopical analysis the macroscopical expression for average stress tensor is obtained. The effective viscosity and viscoelastic characteristics are estimated.

Magnetopolymer materials (ferrogels, magnetic hydrogels, magnetic elastomers) are new kind of smart materials whose physical and mechanical properties can be controlled by an external magnetic field. We present an overview of experimental, theoretical and computer studies of magentomechanical properties and behavior of these systems.

This paper is devoted to the steady-state rheological properties of two new kinds of ferrofluids. One of these was constituted by CoNi nanospheres of 24 nm in diameter, whereas the other by CoNi nanofibers of 56 nm in length and 6.6 nm in width. These ferrofluids were subjected to shear rate ramps under the presence of magnetic fields of different intensity, and the corresponding shear stress values were measured. From the obtained rheograms (shear stress vs shear rate curves) the values of both the static and the dynamic yield stresses were obtained as a function of the magnetic field. The magnetoviscous effect was also obtained as a function of both the shear rate and the magnetic field. The experimental results demonstrate that upon magnetic field application these new ferrofluids develop yield stresses and magnetoviscous effects much greater than those of conventional ferrofluids, based on nanospheres of approximately 10 nm in diameter. Besides some expected differences, such as the stronger magnetorheological effect in the case of ferrofluids based on nanofibers, some intriguing differences are found between the rheological behaviors of nanofiber ferrofluids and nanosphere ferrofluid. First, upon field application the rheograms of nanofiber ferrofluids present N-shaped dependence of the shear stress on the shear rate. The decreasing part of the rheograms takes place at low shear rate. These regions of negative differential viscosity, and therefore, unstable flow is not observed in the case of nanosphere ferrofluids. The second intriguing difference concerns the curvature of the yield stress vs magnetic field curves. This curvature is negative in the case of nanosphere ferrofluid, giving rise to saturation of the yield stress at medium field, as expected. However, in the case of nanofiber ferrofluid this curvature is positive, which means a faster increase of the yield stress with the magnetic field the higher the magnitude of the latter. These interesting differences may be due to the existence of strong interparticle solid friction in the case of nanofiber ferrofluids. Finally, theoretical models for the static yield stress of the ferrofluids were developed. These models consider that upon field application the ferrofluid nanoparticles are condensed in drops of dense phase. These drops tend to be aligned along the field direction, opposing the flow of the ferrofluids and being responsible for the static quasielastic deformation and the yield-stress phenomena. By considering the existence of interparticle dry friction only in the case of nanofiber ferrofluids, the developed models predicted quite well not only the magnitude of the static yield stress but also the differences in curvature of the yield stress vs magnetic field curves.

The paper deals with theoretical study of non linear viscoelastic phenomena in ferrofluids placed in magnetic field. Our attention is focused on the study of nonstationary flow and Maxwell-like relaxation of the macroscopical viscous stress after alternation of the shear rate. We propose that these phenomena can be explained by finite rate of evolution of chainlike aggregates, consisting of the ferrofluid particles. Statistical model of the chains growth-disintegration is suggested. In this model the chain-single particle mechanism of the chains evolution is considered, the effects of the chain-chain interaction are ignored. The proposed model allows us to estimate the time-dependent function of distribution over number of particles in the chain. Having determined this function and using methods of hydromechanics of ferrofluids with chainlike aggregates, we have studied evolution of the ferrofluid viscosity after stepwise alternation of the fluid shear rate. The estimated time of relaxation is in a reasonable agreement with experimental results. Thus, our analysis shows that the observed macroscopical viscoelastic phenomena in ferrofluids can be provided by evolution of the chain ensemble.

We consider a ferrofluid consisting of identical spherical particles with a permanent magnetic moment. Under the assumption that linear flexible chains can appear in the ferrofluid, we estimate the distribution function of the number of particles inside the chain. The analysis is done and simple expressions for the size distribution function are obtained in asymptotics of a strong magnetic interaction between the particles inside one chain. We studied the influence of the linear chains on conditions and scenarios of bulk "gas-liquid" phase transition in the ensemble of the particles under an infinitely strong magnetic field. In order to study the influence of the chains on bulk "gas-liquid" phase transition in the ensemble of the particles, their chemical potential mu is calculated in the model of separate interacting particles as well as in the model with chains, taking into account the interaction between them. When the temperature is low enough, van der Waals loops appear on the plots of mu versus volume concentration phi of the particles in the first model; function mu(phi) increases monotonically in the second model for all examined temperatures. This means that the condensation "gas-liquid" phase transition can take place in the model of individual particles; however, formation of the chains in real ferrofluids prevents the appearance of this transition.