Core/shell nanocomposite based on the local polarization and its electrorheological behavior

Aimed at the increase of electrorheological effect, a novel core/shell material was prepared by the combination of mechanochemical activity and sol-gel technique. The structure analyses X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectrometry showed that a modified kaolinite/titanium oxide nanocomposite consisted of the mechanochemically activated kaolinite/NaCl complex coated by titanium oxide. A distinct enhancement of the electrorheological activity was found by using such particles dispersed in silicone oil than those of kaolinite or titanium oxide alone under a direct current electric field. Modified kaolinite/titanium oxide electrorheological fluid has a larger dielectric constant enhancement Δεe′, and a strong interfacial polarization occurs with a clear dielectric loss peak around 2 kHz. Doping NaCl into the core (kaolinite) by the mechanochemical activation and limiting the transferring of the ions by the shell (titanium oxide) may increase the interfacial polarizability of particles and induce a high electrorheological effect.