Theory and experiments on electrorheological fluids

By carrying out first principles calculations particles fabrication and experiments, we demonstrate the enhancement of the electrorheological effect through the use of microstructured composite particles, consisting of a spherical dielectric core coated with a thin layer of metal and an additional outer layer of insulating material with high dielectric constant. It is argued that through the choice of the core material and the outer layer material, the outer layer thickness, and the particle size, there can be a path of continuous improvement on the electrorheological fluid properties that makes possible the eventual fulfillment of the diverse application requirements