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Conventional electrorheological (ER) fluids consist of electrically polarizable particles dispersed in an inert insulating liquid. They are characterized by a development of a yield stress upon application of an external electric field. They resemble Bingham fluids with yield stress value depending on electric field. A viscosity increase in the presence of an electric field has been also found in homogeneous solutions of liquid crystalline polymers with no yield stress observed. In this study these two types of fluids and combined dispersions of the solid particles in the liquid crystalline matrix were investigated. A lyotropic liquid crystalline polymer-poly(n-hexyl isocyanate) (PHIC)-dissolved in xylene was chosen as the active matrix. The dispersed solid phase was comprised of two kinds of polymers: pyrolyzed polyacrylonitryle (PAN) showing electron conductivity, and PAN doped with two salts (KSCN, NaSCN), resulting in ionic conductivity. The rheological measurements under an electric field were performed. The pristine xylene solution of PHIC was characterized first as well as the 15% m/m dispersions of PAN powders in silicone oil. Then the dispersions in the liquid crystalline matrix were investigated showing a strong ER effect whose magnitude was considerably enhanced in comparison to both ER active components measured separately.

Hybrid electrorheological fluids comprising powdered conjugated polymers dispersed in solutions of a liquid crystalline polymer were prepared and studied. FeCl 3 doped poly(p-phenylene) and pyrolised polyacrylonitrile were chosen as the dispersed phase and poly(n-hexyl isocyanate) dissolved in xylene was used as the active liquid matrix. All the component materials were extensively characterized by various methods. Flow curves of the hybrid ER fluids were recorded under electric field and compared with analogous curves obtained for dispersions of the powders in silicone oil and with homogeneous solutions of the LC polymer in xylene. A very significant enhancement of the ER effect in the studied hybrid fluids was observed.

Electrorheological (ER) fluids are composed of dielectric particles dispersed in an inert liquid of low electric permittivity. Upon the application of an electric field ER fluids rapidly solidify, or increase their viscosity. Characteristic increase of the viscosity of ER fluids is due to the formation of particle chains that bridge the electrodes. This process is greatly affected by polarization processes within the solid phase and at the surface of the grains. These phenomena are governed by dopants, functional groups, structure of the solid particles and the solid/liquid interface. To find relations between parameters of the ER effect and material properties of components of ER fluids, two main types of the materials were investigated: conjugated polymers [polyphenylene (PPP), pyrolyzed polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and polythiophene] and solid electrolytes based on polyacrylonitrile complexed with inorganic salts. It was found that the ER activity resulted from surface polarization processes due to the presence of polar species (PAN) or bulk polarization related to mobile ions (PPP). Polythiophene, despite the presence of a conjugated system of multiple bonds, showed only residual ER effect. Solid electrolyte-based fluids exhibited relatively high activity originated from ionic polarization.

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