Enhancement of Magnetorheological Fluids with Size and Morphology—Optimized Fe 3 O 4 Nanoparticles: Impacts on Rheological Properties and Stability.

In this study, we synthesized Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ NPs) of varying sizes and morphologies using the solvothermal method and incorporated them as additives into carbonyl iron magnetorheological fluids (CI-MRFs). We tested the shear stress, yield stress, viscosity and storage modulus of the MRFs using a magnetorheometer to investigate how the size and morphology of Fe₃O₄ NPs influence the performance of MRFs. Our results indicate that the size of the additive nanoparticles significantly enhances the MR properties of MRFs more than their morphological attributes. This enhancement results from optimizing and stabilizing the CI magnetic chain structure of the nanoparticles in the presence of a magnetic field. Specifically, MRFs with Fe₃O₄ NPs averaging 250 nm in size exhibit higher yield stress and storage modulus and show increased resistance to shear strains. Although the nanoparticle morphology has a modest effect on the rheological properties of MRFs, hexahedral and octahedral particles can enhance rheological properties through increased internal friction compared to spherical particles. Additionally, Fe₃O₄ NPs of different sizes and morphologies improve the sedimentation stability of MRFs, with those around 250 nm being particularly effective at slowing down sedimentation. Both hexahedral and octahedral Fe₃O₄ NPs slow down sedimentation more effectively than spherical Fe₃O₄ NPs. This paper investigates the rheological properties of CI-MRFs by controlling the additive particle size and morphological features, providing a research foundation for the design and optimization of MRFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]