Electroactive and Electrostructured Elastomers

Abstract

Electroactive elastomers are composites made of solid particles embedded in an elastomeric network whose mechanical or optical properties can be changed by the application of an electric or a magnetic field. These materials have obviously a strong connection with ER and MR fluids and can be more appropriated for some applications. We present recent results concerning two kinds of filled elastomer, one based on carbonyl iron particles and the second one on silica particles. In the first case we show that that change of elastic properties obtained by the application of a magnetic field depend dramatically on the way we have structured the suspension before the polymerization. We explain quantitatively these experimental results with the help of finite element calculation to predict the magnetic forces between the particles. In the second case we show how it is possible to modulate the transmission of a laser beam by shearing a thin elastomeric film whose particles have been initially aligned with the help of an electric field. Some applications related to the organization of the filler particles by the application of a field or a combination of a field and a flow before polymerization will be discussed.

Recent Progress on Magnetorheological Solids: Materials, Fabrication, Testing, and Applications

“…[7] In addition to the aforementioned, magnetic fields have the ability to penetrate space and substances. The term magnetoactive elastomers has been used by several research groups, [11][12][13][14][15] in which the stiffness of an elastic matrix inserted with magnetizable particles is able to be controlled by the implementation of an external magnetic field. [8] In general, magnetically activated smart materials comprise at least two kinds of material having different magnetic properties or where one is not even a solid magnetic material.…”

Electrorheologically intelligent polyaniline and its composites

“…Therefore, an analogy with the magnetoresponsive magnetorheological (MR) fluids under a magnetic field strength, [13][14][15][16] the ER fluids have a great potential in various engineering applications such as designing dampers, torque transducers or polishing devices. 17,18 Since their first discovery by Winslow, 19 research on exploring the mechanism of ER fluids and developing novel ER materials become more and more attractive. Several assumptions about the mechanism of ER observation based on the category of ER materials are available.…”

Damping of magnetorheological elastomers

“…MR elastomers have attracted increasing attention and ob-tained broad application prospects recently. Bellan et al studied the shear stress-strain relationship under applied magnetic fields [16], Ginder et al investigated the magnetostriction performance [17], and Bossis et al researched the conductivity and optical properties [18]. Ginder [19], Lerner [20] and Deng et al [21] developed adaptive tuned vibration absorbers based on MR elastomers.…”