Characteristics of Electrorheological Fluids

Employing the ER fluids as working fluids in hydraulic devices demands evaluation of their characteristics. However, a concise description of ER fluids’ characteriztics is difficult to achieve due to: a wide variety of materials of which the fluids are made, close connection between the ER fluids’ behavior and the construction of a device in which they are used, as well as the necessity of taking into consideration the manner of generating and the influence of an electric field on the ER fluid. Due to these reasons, in the design process of devices with ER fluids, to measure the working conditions and performance, various types of characteristics are used, such as: material, rheological, electrical or durability characteristics.