Strain-Tunable Chemiresistor

Describing magnetorheology under a colloidal glass approach

The equilibrium structure and dynamics of magnetorheological (MR) fluids are studied in this work by simulations, where particles are modeled as dipoles with a quasihard spherical core. Upon increasing the interaction strength, controlled experimentally by the magnetic field, elongated clusters grow and, for intense fields, thick columns form, aligned with the field. The dynamics of the system is monitored by the mean-squared displacement and density correlation functions, which show an increasing slowing down with the attraction strength. The correlation function shows a two-step decay, with a separation between microscopic and long time dynamics, a typical hallmark of undercooled fluids. We have therefore analyzed the dynamics of this MR fluid using the typical concepts for undercooled fluids. Thus, the second decay of the density correlation function is fitted with a stretched exponential, and the wave-vector dependence of the fitting parameters studied. Both the amplitude and the time scale oscillate in phase with the structure factor. Our results support the idea that the magnetorheological effect is in fact the manifestation of a colloidal system approaching an attractive glass transition (or gel transition).

Enhanced magnetorheological performance of highly uniform magnetic carbon nanoparticles

Magnetic carbon nanoparticles (MC NPs) are prepared on a multi-gram scale through carbonization of iron-doped polypyrrole nanoparticles (PPy NPs). Three different-sized MC NPs (ca. 40, 60 and 90 nm) are prepared and adopted as dispersing materials for magnetorheological (MR) fluids to investigate the influence of particle size on MR properties. The MC NP-based MR fluids exhibit outstanding MR performances compared to the conventional magnetic carbon material-based fluids. In addition, the MR activities are enhanced with decreasing particle diameter and increasing applied magnetic field strength. Furthermore, anti-sedimentation properties are examined in order to achieve in-depth insight into the effect of the particle size on MR fluids.

Driving self-assembly and emergent dynamics in colloidal suspensions by time-dependent magnetic fields

In this review we discuss recent research on driving self-assembly of magnetic particle suspensions subjected to alternating magnetic fields. The variety of structures and effects that can be induced in such systems is remarkably broad due to the large number of variables involved. The alternating field can be uniaxial, biaxial or triaxial, the particles can be spherical or anisometric, and the suspension can be dispersed throughout a volume or confined to a soft interface. In the simplest case the field drives the static or quasistatic assembly of unusual particle structures, such as sheets, networks and open-cell foams. More complex, emergent collective behaviors evolve in systems that can follow the time-dependent field vector. In these cases energy is continuously injected into the system and striking flow patterns and structures can arise. In fluid volumes these include the formation of advection and vortex lattices. At air-liquid and liquid-liquid interfaces striking dynamic particle assemblies emerge due to the particle-mediated coupling of the applied field to surface excitations. These out-of-equilibrium interface assemblies exhibit a number of remarkable phenomena, including self-propulsion and surface mixing. In addition to discussing various methods of driven self-assembly in magnetic suspensions, some of the remarkable properties of these novel materials are described.