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Magneto-rheological fluids

Hey I'm wondering if anyone has got any ideas on how to construct a magneto-rheological fluid, out of available resources?! Your input would be greatly received!

Thanks,

Lewis

Reply 1

Eddie K

I did my A-level project on electrorheological fluids, which are harder to construct than their magnetorheological cousins. Simply put, all a magneto resisitive fluid is a suspension of polarising particles within an insulator. Think iron-filings within a thin oil. Stick a magnetic field across this fluid and the filings will align in the fluid, changing the viscosity of the fluid.

Although magnetorheological fluids are easier to make, electrorheological fluids are perhaps easier to understand. They work with electric fields, and are simply conducting dipoles in an insulating fluid.