Practical design of an electromagnet for the compression characterization of magnetorheological elastomers

In this article, the compression characterization of silicon-based magnetorheological elastomers is addressed, emphasizing the difficulties associated to the test set-up in order to obtain accurate results of the behaviour of the material. Measurement errors associated to friction and vibration coupling due to design flaws in the electromagnet are solved by providing guidelines on an adequate electromagnet layout. The designed electromagnet allows conducting compression dynamic tests up to 300 Hz in specimens of dimensions 40 x 40 x 8 mm(3), reaching magnetic flux densities in the order of 1000 mT and showing the expected increase in the dynamic stiffness. Additionally, the electromagnet might be used in the manufacturing and curing of anisotropic magnetorheological compression specimens.