New 'smart' fluid: important application for the future

In a discovery that may promote the third use of ' smart liquids ' in industry and commerce, scientists in Maryland announced they have developed new photorheological (PR) fluids. , a fluid can be created in a simple and cheap way.

Mr. Srinivasa R. Raghavan and his students said that it was possible that the electrorheological fluid (ER) and magnetoreheological (MR) fluid were widely used in equipment, from automotive shock absorbers and brakes to machining. Anti-vibration technology to keep the houses strong when earthquakes occur.

Fluid (Photo: Mne.psu.edu)

ER and MR fluids change instantly and return to their original state from free flowing liquid to semi-solid with controllable durability when reacting to an electric field (for ER fluids) or magnetic field (for MR fluids). PR fluid was created to achieve the same feat, using light as a ' trigger '.

However, this fluid is not widely used either in the laboratory or in industry because it is difficult and expensive to manufacture them, scientists said in an article expected to be published in the publication. of the American Chemical Society magazine February 21.

In contrast, this newly created PR fluid is based on simple, inexpensive chemicals and most laboratories have these chemicals, scientists who imagine PR fluid as a technology capable of contributing to the creation of the Micro - Electric - Mechanical System, said. The devices discussed so much will incorporate mechanical elements, sensors, actuators and electrons onto the chips and these chips will revolutionize the Different products.

Thanh Van