Magnetic anisotropy in magnetoactive elastomers, enabled by matrix elasticity

Experimental characterization and fractional modelling of anisotropic magnetorheological elastomers under the influence of temperature and magnetic fields

The multifaceted influence of combined variables on the mechanical-magnetorheological properties of isotropic and anisotropic MREs in a shear state is probed in this research. Specifically, the effects of preparation magnetic field, magnetic field intensity during rheometric testing, temperature, shear strain, angular frequency, and angle of structural matrix chains were examined. The viscoelastic properties of seven distinct MREs prepared in different pre-configuration settings were analysed by subjecting them to dynamic shear-rotational deformation at different temperatures and magnetic fields. A novel magneto-viscoelastic model was formulated for both isotropic and anisotropic MREs within the realm of linear viscoelasticity. The efficacy and robustness of this model were substantiated, offering a predictive framework for the materials' behavior. This comprehensive model explains the viscoelastic response of magnetorheological elastomers to shear loading, accounting for factors encompassing the preparation magnetic field, magnetic field intensity and temperature during testing, angular frequency, shear strain, and the orientation of the column-like matrix. Empirical findings underscored noteworthy trends, indicating that elevated temperatures led to a reduction in viscoelastic modulus, whereas increased magnetic field intensity resulted in its augmentation. Simultaneously, temperature and magnetic field intensification amplified the MR effect. Additionally, heightened preparation fields correlated with increased shear modulus, whilst variations in temperature and both magnetic fields induced noticeable changes in the Payne effect.

Microstructured Magnetoactive Elastomers for Switchable Wettability

We demonstrate the control of wettability of non-structured and microstructured magnetoactive elastomers (MAEs) by magnetic field. The synthesized composite materials have a concentration of carbonyl iron particles of 75 wt.% (≈27 vol.%) and three different stiffnesses of the elastomer matrix. A new method of fabrication of MAE coatings on plastic substrates is presented, which allows one to enhance the response of the apparent contact angle to the magnetic field by exposing the particle-enriched side of MAEs to water. A magnetic field is not applied during crosslinking. The highest variation of the contact angle from (113 ± 1)° in zero field up to (156 ± 2)° at about 400 mT is achieved in the MAE sample with the softest matrix. Several lamellar and pillared MAE structures are fabricated by laser micromachining. The lateral dimension of surface structures is about 50 µm and the depth varies between 3 µm and 60 µm. A systematic investigation of the effects of parameters of laser processing (laser power and the number of passages of the laser beam) on the wetting behavior of these structures in the absence and presence of a magnetic field is performed. In particular, strong anisotropy of the wetting behavior of lamellar structures is observed. The results are qualitatively discussed in the framework of the Wenzel and Cassie–Baxter models. Finally, directions of further research on magnetically controlled wettability of microstructured MAE surfaces are outlined. The obtained results may be useful for the development of magnetically controlled smart surfaces for droplet-based microfluidics.

The effect of polymer stiffness on magnetization reversal of magnetorheological elastomers

Ultrasoft magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) offer convenient real-time magnetic field control of mechanical properties that provides a means to mimic mechanical cues and regulators of cells in vitro. Here, we systematically investigate the effect of polymer stiffness on magnetization reversal of MREs using a combination of magnetometry measurements and computational modeling. Poly-dimethylsiloxane-based MREs with Young's moduli that range over two orders of magnitude were synthesized using commercial polymers Sylgard™ 527, Sylgard 184, and carbonyl iron powder. The magnetic hysteresis loops of the softer MREs exhibit a characteristic pinched loop shape with almost zero remanence and loop widening at intermediate fields that monotonically decreases with increasing polymer stiffness. A simple two-dipole model that incorporates magneto-mechanical coupling not only confirms that micrometer-scale particle motion along the applied magnetic field direction plays a defining role in the magnetic hysteresis of ultrasoft MREs but also reproduces the observed loop shapes and widening trends for MREs with varying polymer stiffnesses.

Magnetoelectric Response of Laminated Cantilevers Comprising a Magnetoactive Elastomer and a Piezoelectric Polymer, in Pulsed Uniform Magnetic Fields

The voltage response to pulsed uniform magnetic fields and the accompanying bending deformations of laminated cantilever structures are investigated experimentally in detail. The structures comprise a magnetoactive elastomer (MAE) slab and a commercially available piezoelectric polymer multilayer. The magnetic field is applied vertically and the laminated structures are customarily fixed in the horizontal plane or, alternatively, slightly tilted upwards or downwards. Six different MAE compositions incorporating three concentrations of carbonyl iron particles (70 wt%, 75 wt% and 80 wt%) and two elastomer matrices of different stiffness are used. The dependences of the generated voltage and the cantilever’s deflection on the composition of the MAE layer and its thickness are obtained. The appearance of the voltage between the electrodes of a piezoelectric material upon application of a magnetic field is considered as a manifestation of the direct magnetoelectric (ME) effect in a composite laminated structure. The ME voltage response increases with the increasing total quantity of the soft-magnetic filler in the MAE layer. The relationship between the generated voltage and the cantilever’s deflection is established. The highest observed peak voltage around 5.5 V is about 8.5-fold higher than previously reported values. The quasi-static ME voltage coefficient for this type of ME heterostructures is about 50 V/A in the magnetic field of ≈100 kA/m, obtained for the first time. The results could be useful for the development of magnetic field sensors and energy harvesting devices relying on these novel polymer composites.

Magnetic field tuning of mechanical properties of ultrasoft PDMS-based magnetorheological elastomers for biological applications

We report tuning of the moduli and surface roughness of magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) by varying applied magnetic field. Ultrasoft MREs are fabricated using a physiologically relevant commercial polymer, Sylgard™ 527, and carbonyl iron powder (CIP). We found that the shear storage modulus, Young's modulus, and root-mean-square surface roughness are increased by ~41×, ~11×, and ~11×, respectively, when subjected to a magnetic field strength of 95.5 kA m-1. Single fit parameter equations are presented that capture the tunability of the moduli and surface roughness as a function of CIP volume fraction and magnetic field strength. These magnetic field-induced changes in the mechanical moduli and surface roughness of MREs are key parameters for biological applications.

Magnetic-field-induced stress in confined magnetoactive elastomers

We present a theoretical approach for calculating the state of stress induced by a uniform magnetic field in confined magnetoactive elastomers of arbitrary shape. The theory explicitly includes the magnetic field generated by magnetizable spherical inclusions in the sample interior assuming a non-linear magnetization behavior. The initial spatial distribution of particles and its change in an external magnetic field are considered. This is achieved by the introduction of an effective demagnetizing factor where both the sample shape and the material microstructure are taken into account. Theoretical predictions are fitted to the stress data measured using a specifically designed experimental setup. It is shown that the theory enables the quantification of the effect of material microstructure upon introducing a specific microstructural factor and its derivative with respect to the extensional strain in the undeformed state. The experimentally observed differences between isotropic and anisotropic samples, compliant and stiff elastomer matrices are explained.

Giant Extensional Strain of Magnetoactive Elastomeric Cylinders in Uniform Magnetic Fields

Elongations of magnetoactive elastomers (MAEs) under ascending-descending uniform magnetic fields were studied experimentally using a laboratory apparatus specifically designed to measure large extensional strains (up to 20%) in compliant MAEs. In the literature, such a phenomenon is usually denoted as giant magnetostriction. The synthesized cylindrical MAE samples were based on polydimethylsiloxane matrices filled with micrometer-sized particles of carbonyl iron. The impact of both the macroscopic shape factor of the samples and their magneto-mechanical characteristics were evaluated. For this purpose, the aspect ratio of the MAE cylindrical samples, the concentration of magnetic particles in MAEs and the effective shear modulus were systematically varied. It was shown that the magnetically induced elongation of MAE cylinders in the maximum magnetic field of about 400 kA/m, applied along the cylinder axis, grew with the increasing aspect ratio. The effect of the sample composition is discussed in terms of magnetic filler rearrangements in magnetic fields and the observed experimental tendencies are rationalized by simple theoretical estimates. The obtained results can be used for the design of new smart materials with magnetic-field-controlled deformation properties, e.g., for soft robotics.

The loss of mechanical stability and the critical magnetization of a ferromagnetic particle in an elastomer

The rotation of a spherical magnetically soft ferromagnetic particle with uniaxial magnetic anisotropy and located in an elastomer through a certain angle under the action of a magnetic field has been studied theoretically. It was found that if the particle loses its mechanical stability, its rotation angle becomes critically dependent on the magnetic field magnitude. The magnetically induced critical rotation of the particle in the elastomer has a magneto-elastic origin and is accompanied by a critical change in the magnetization of the particle multidomain state, as occurs in the case of second-order magnetic phase transitions. The transition of a particle in a soft-elastic elastomer from the multidomain state into a uniformly magnetized one was shown to be independent of the magnitude of the particle magnetic anisotropy field. The particle rotation was found to result in the appearance of a maximum in the field dependence of the magnetic susceptibility.

Magnetodielectric Response of Soft Magnetoactive Elastomers: Effects of Filler Concentration and Measurement Frequency

The magnetodielectric response of magnetoactive elastomers (MAEs) in its dependence on filler concentration, magnetic field, and test frequency is studied experimentally. MAEs are synthesized on the basis of a silicone matrix filled with spherical carbonyl iron particles characterized by a mean diameter of 4.5 µm. The concentration of the magnetic filler within composite materials is equal to 70, 75, and 80 mass%. The effective lossless permittivity ε′ as well as the dielectric loss tanδ grow significantly when the magnetic field increases. The permittivity increases and the dielectric loss decreases with increasing filler concentration. In the measurement frequency range between 1 kHz and 200 kHz, the frequency hardly affects the values of ε′ and tanδ in the absence of a magnetic field. However, both parameters decrease considerably with the growing frequency in a constant magnetic field. The more strongly the magnetic field is applied, the larger the change in permittivity and loss tangent at the same test frequency is observed. An equivalent circuit formulation qualitatively describes the main tendencies of the magnetodielectric response.