Temperature-dependent dynamic properties of magnetorheological gel composite: experiment and modeling

Of all the smart materials that can vary with a change in external excitation, magnetorheological gel (MRG) is one of the most pre-eminent composites, having controllable and reversible responses according to the magnitude of the external magnetic field. Temperature has been identified as another important driver that can alter the dynamic properties of a MRG, and so far this has not been studied systematically. The temperature-dependent dynamic properties of a MRG under different magnetic field strengths were investigated by three kinds of experiments-strain amplitude, frequency and magnetic field sweep tests. The experimental results demonstrate that the storage and loss moduli of MRGs display a temperature-induced stiffening effect with a magnetic field but a temperature-induced softening effect in the absence of a magnetic field. The storage modulus improves with magnetic field strength, whereas the loss modulus first shows rapid growth and then a gradual reduction with increasing magnetic field strength. This temperature dependence of dynamic properties is also interpreted through different mechanisms related to the transformation of the MRG microstructure. Furthermore, a modified magnetic dipole model which could predict the relationship between storage modulus and magnetic field strength is combined with the classical Arrhenius equation expressing the effect of temperature on viscosity to describe the temperature dependence of the storage modulus of a MRG under different magnetic field strengths. This paper may provide some useful guidance for designing a magnetorheological device.