Experimental and Theoretical Study of the Field Induced Phase Separation in Electro- and Magnetorheological Suspensions

We present here the study of field induced phase separation in E.R. and M.R. fluids. Two thermodynamic models — one for the formation of chais of particles and the other for phase separation are presented and compared with experimental results obtained with two kinds of suspensions. One was made of silica particles in silicone oil and the other was made of magnetic polystyrene particles in water. In the presence of a flow the phase separation occurs with the dense phase forming a regular pattern of stripes. The dependence of the period of these stripes on the intensity of the magnetic field is well reproduced by the same kind of thermodynamic model if we add the effect of normal stresses induced by the shear flow.