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Controllable Microstructure and the Effective Thermophysical Properties of Suspensions under External Fields

Mark Seitel (Rutgers University), Chen Lin (Rutgers University), Wuhan Yuan (Rutgers University), Corinne Baresich (Rutgers University), Stephen Tse (Rutgers University), Liping Liu (Rutgers), Jerry Shan (Rutgers University)

Prager Medal Symposium in honor of George Weng: Micromechanics, Composites and Multifunctional Materials

Mon 10:45 - 12:15

MacMillan 117

Non-spherical particles like nanotubes, nanowires, and microflakes, are highly polarizable and can be readily manipulated with external electric and magnetic fields. As a result, electromagnetic forcing offers a simple and highly controllable means for controlling the microstructure of particles in liquid suspension. In this talk, we review the fundamentals of field-based manipulation of particles, and discuss the changes in effective thermophysical properties of the suspension that can result. In particular, we discuss the microstructure and effective viscosity and thermal conductivity of single-wall carbon nanotube suspensions under electric fields. We also discuss experiments and modeling on the effective acoustic properties of suspensions of magnetic microflakes under an external magnetic field. These particulate systems have the potential to be anisotropic, reconfigurable media with applications in heat- and shear-stress transfer, as well as in the guiding of acoustic waves.