Measurement of Interaction Forces at Small Distance under Electric Field in a Smectite Dispersed Silicone Oil Based ER Fluid

The apparatus to measure interaction forces under an electric field at small distance between a conductive hemisphere and a flat plate has been developed. The surface forces at small distance sandwiched ER fluid dispersing ultrafine smectite particles (20 to 50 nm thickness) in silicone oil has been measured. This fluid shows 0.7kPa of apparent yield stress by applying 2.5kV/mm of DC electric field. When an electric field applies to this ER fluid, the repulsive energy curves shows inflection points at about 0.2 μ m distance periodically at small distance of less than 1 μ m because the repulsion force decreases for a vacancy of particles after the particles are pushed out and the dipole attraction force acts between hemisphere and plate. On the other hand, when the electric field becomes off and it passes enough time, the inflection points is observed more shorter distance of about 0.15 μ m periodically. The coagulated particle size is estimated about 0.15 μ m under no electric field and becomes larger by applying electric field.