All-liquid electrorheological effect

Abstract

An apparatus for generating a giant electrorheological (ER) effect includes an upper high voltage electrode and a lower high voltage electrode, the upper high voltage electrode and the lower high voltage electrode each covered with a water-absorbing material and have water absorbed thereon. The apparatus also includes a fluid channel formed by layers and positioned in a gap between the upper high voltage electrode and the lower high voltage electrode; a pressure sensor positioned at one of the high voltage electrodes; a pump to flow silicon oil through the fluid channel; and a high voltage source configured to apply a voltage to the upper high voltage electrode. A method for generating a ER utilizes the apparatus.

1 . An apparatus for generating an electrorheological (ER) effect comprising:
 an upper voltage electrode and a lower voltage electrode, the upper voltage electrode and the lower voltage electrode each covered with a water-absorbing material and have water absorbed thereon;   a fluid channel formed by layers and positioned in a gap between the upper voltage electrode and the lower voltage electrode;   a pressure sensor positioned at one of the voltage electrodes;   a pump to flow silicon oil through the fluid channel; and   a voltage source configured to apply a voltage to the upper voltage electrode.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the gap between the upper voltage electrode and the lower voltage electrode is selected from 1 mm, 0.75 mm and 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the pump is a syringe pump. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the water absorbing material is a polyester-based water absorbing membrane. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the voltage applied to the electrodes is between 1 kV and 6 kV, inclusive. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a function generator configured to send a control signal to the voltage source. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the control signal is rectangular wave, duration of the signal is 40 seconds, and duty cycle is 0.5. 
     
     
         8 . A method for generating an electrorheological (ER) effect comprising:
 providing an apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
 an upper voltage electrode and a lower voltage electrode, the upper voltage electrode and the lower voltage electrode each covered with a water-absorbing material and have water absorbed thereon; 
 a fluid channel formed by layers and positioned in a gap between the upper voltage electrode and the lower voltage electrode; 
 a pressure sensor positioned at one of the voltage electrodes; 
 a pump; and 
 a voltage source configured to apply a voltage to the upper voltage electrode and the lower voltage electrode; 
   flowing silicone oil through the fluid channel using the pump; and   applying voltage to the upper voltage electrode, thereby creating an electric field and generating the ER effect.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the gap between the upper voltage electrode and the lower voltage electrode is selected from 1 mm, 0.75 mm and 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the pump is a syringe pump. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the water absorbing material is a polyester-based water absorbing membrane. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the voltage applied to the electrodes is between 1 kV and 6 kV, inclusive. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising a function generator configured to send a control signal to the voltage source. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the control signal is rectangular wave, duration of the signal is 40 seconds, and duty cycle is 0.5. 
     
     
         15 . An all-liquid electrorheological (ER) fluid comprising:
 a mixture of about 85-95 wt % silicon oil and about 5-15 wt % water, wherein the silicon oil and water are uniformly mixed; and   the mixture exhibits electrorheological effects when an outside voltage is applied to the mixture.   
     
     
         16 . The all-liquid ER fluid of  claim 15 , wherein the amount of silicon oil present is 90 wt % and the amount of water present is 90 wt %.