IN SITU X-RAY ANALYSIS OF MONTMORILLONITE SUSPENSIONS IN POLYDIMETHYLSILOXANE: ORIENTATION IN SHEAR AND ELECTRIC FIELD

Abstract The behavior of electrorheological fluids filled by particles with a high aspect ratio was studied in situ by X-ray scattering using special cell. An orientation phenomena of particles in suspensions of variously modified montmorillonites at low concentrations under electric field and shear stress was clearly observed. It has been revealed that the type of modifier in clay structure plays a crucial role for the particles orientation under electric field. The relationship between the electrorheological behavior of suspensions and the filler structuring was discovered. The paper discussed the reasons of different particles organization depending on external influence. Using a simple model, a road map of possible structural states of suspensions was proposed. The prospects of in situ X-ray studies to comprehending the mechanism of electrorheological effect have been shown.