Internal Organizational Measurement for Control of Magnetorheological Fluid Properties

Magnetorheological (MR) fluids change their physical properties when subjected to a magnetic field. As this change occurs, the specific values of the physical properties are a function of the fluid’s time-varying organization state. This results in a nonlinear, hysteretic, time-varying fluid property response to direct magnetic field excitation. Permeability, resistivity and permittivity changes of MR fluid were investigated and their suitability to indicate the organizational state of the fluid, and thus other transport properties, was determined. High sensitivity of permittivity and resistivity to particle organization and applied field was studied experimentally. The measurable effect of these material properties can be used to implement an MR fluid state sensor.