Study on the magnetorheological properties of maghemite-kerosene ferrofluid

As the ferrofluids are synthesized in a controlled atmosphere to Prevent oxidation of the magnetite phase; most reports of rheological properties have been derived from magnetite based ferrofluids. In this paper a ferrofluid based on iron oxide was synthesized by co-precipitation with air. Lauric acid was used to coat magnetic nanoparticles in the kerosene. The microstructural features of the ferrofluid and the variation with time and temperature of its rheologic and magnetic properties were investigated. The results indicated that the magnetic particles had an average size of 10.6 nm consisting of maghemite as the major phase. Viscosity of ferrofluid showed considerable variation with time and temperature. It was specified that the time dependency of the magnetoviscousity is related to particle size and rearrangement of nanoparticles of product is independent from the magnetic field. Moreover at low shear rates (< 0.1 s(-1)) the interaction of nanoparticles is related to the van der waals forces which cause the increase of the viscosity with time. The temperature effect showed that the magnetoviscosity decreases considerably above 45 degrees C.