DYNAMIC SIMULATION STUDIES OF STRUCTURAL FORMATION AND TRANSITION IN ELECTRO-MAGNETO-RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS

The computer simulation method has been used to study the structural formation and transition of electro-magneto-rheological (EMR) fluids under compatible electric and magnetic fields. When the fields are applied simultaneously and perpendicularly to each other, the particles rapidly arrange into two-dimensional close-packed layer structures parallel to both fields. The layers then combine together to form thicker sheer-like structures, which finally relax into three-dimensional close-packed structure with the help of the thermal fluctuations. On the other hand, if the electric field is applied firstly to induce the body-centered tetragonal (BCT) columns in the system, and then the magnetic field is applied in the perpendicular direction, the BCT to face-centered cubic (FCC) structure transition is observed in very short time. Following that, the structure keeps on evolving due to the demagnetization effect and finally form the three-dimensional close-packed structures.