Preparation of modified kaolinite/titanium oxide coated composite particles and high electrorheological activity

Modified kaolinite/titanmm oxide composite was prepared by the combination of sol-gel technique and mechanochemical method. The analysis of XRD and FT-IR shows that the surface of modified Kaolinite is coated by porous titanium oxide. Furthermore the electrorheological effect is associated with the titanium oxide mass percent in the composite particle. When the content of titanium oxide in the composite is 34%, E=3 kV/mm, and particle/silicone oil volume fraction is 25%, the yield stress of modified kaolinite/titanium oxide composite ERF is 7 kPa, which is 9 times of that of kaolinite ERF. The improvement of dielectric properties can well explain the increase of ER effects.