This paper develops elastic styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) beads to be used as additives in magnetorheological fluids (MRFs). With their ability to control physical properties in the presence of a magnetic field, MRFs are used for several energy-dampening applications. However, lack of elasticity limits MRF applications in energy dissipation.
Technical Notebook: Preparation of SEBS beads for introduction of elastic properties in magnetic smart materials
University of Alabama
University of Alabama graphic
A hypothetical representation of elastic SEBS beads as additives in magnetorheological fluids.
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This study developed SEBS (synthetic rubber) beads for the first time as MRF additives to enhance elasticity and recovery. Optimal SEBS and surfactant concentration for bead formation and enhanced viscosity was determined.
Future work will focus on how synthetic rubber composition and processing can be tuned to further enhance MRF performance. It is expected that MRFs with enhanced elasticity will enable tunable, dynamic, energy efficient industrial and automotive vibration dampening for improved comfort, equipment resiliency and product consistency.
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