Mesomagnetomechanics of hybrid elastomer composites: Magnetization of elastically trapped particles

Abstract Magnetization of hybrid magnetic elastomers (HMEs) is a complex process that develops through contiguous events including mechanical rotation of magnetically soft and hard particles embedded in an elastic matrix, and magnetic rotation and switching of elementary magnetic moments constituting those particles. To clearly understand the mesomagnetomechanics of HMEs and separate phenomena due to different types of magnetic fillers, in this work magnetization of magnetoactive elastomers (MAEs) containing NdFeB particles is investigated. Magnetization curves obtained via experiments and computer simulations based on a model of a multigrain magnetic particle in an elastic environment are scrutinized. The training effect, negative bias, and reduction of coercivity inherent to the soft HMEs and MAEs are demonstrated and discussed. The occurrence of irreversible processes of matrix destruction during cycled magnetization of the samples is deduced from comparison of the modeled and measured curves.