Electrorheology

• Suspension of particles of electrorheological (ER) fluid in strong electric field due to induced dipoles on the particles.

• Colloidal suspension of polarizable particles in a nonpolar solvent.

• Examples:

• flour suspended in vegetable oil

• alumina or silica suspended in silicone oil

• corn starch in peanut oil

• Introduce concepts of polarity and polarizability.