PROTEIN-ENHANCED ELECTRORHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS

Electrorheological (ER) fluids are typically suspensions of solid part icles in electrically nonconducting liquids that undergo dramatic chan ges in their theological properties upon application of large electric fields; apparent viscosities can increase several orders of magnitude for electric field strengths on the order of 1 kV/mm. This technology has many possible applications in new types of stress transfer and da mping devices. We present experimental results showing that the additi on of small amounts of proteins to these materials can dramatically en hance their ER response. These enhanced ER fluids may represent a prac tical means for controlling material properties and optimizing formula tions for applications.