edited by R Tao (Southern Illinois University, USA)

Electrorheological (ER) and magnetorheological (MR) fluids, which can be transformed from the liquid state into the solid state in milliseconds by applying an electric or a magnetic field, are smart fluids having the potential to revolutionize several industrial sectors. The Seventh International Conference on Electrorheological Fluids and Magnetorheological Suspensions took place at a time when some MR and ER applications were beginning to appear on the market, making a notable impact on industries. Scientists and engineers in multidisciplinary areas came together to explore the state-of-the-art technology and identify thrust areas to be focused on.

This volume of proceedings collects contributions from most leading experts in the field. It reviews the most recent MR and ER applications, discusses the materials technology, explores the basic science research on ER and MR fluids, and examines the novel properties of these fluids. It provides the most up-to-date and probably the best information about the area. It can serve as a stimulating and valuable reference for research workers and students in materials science, condensed matter physics, engineering, and chemistry. The valuable information not only reports on the leading edge of research and applications, but also provides an overview of the field.

• Materials Technology:
  • Enhance the Yield Shear Stress of Magnetorheological Fluids (X Tang et al.)
  • Muscular Contraction Mimiced by Magnetic Gels (M Zrinyi & D Szabó)
  • Electroactive and Electrostructured Elastomer (G Bossis et al.)
• Physical Mechanisms:
  • Parameters Affecting Lamellar Formations in ER Fluids: An Alternative Model for ER Activity (F E Filisko & S Henley)
  • Transient Behavior of the Microstructure of Electrorheological Fluids in Shear Flow Mode (S L Vieira et al.)
  • A Conduction Model Describing Particle–Particle Interaction in the Case of Surface Conducting Particles (P Gonon et al.)
• Microstructure:
  • Evidence of Second Order Phase Transition in Ferrofluid in External Electric Field (X Duan & W Luo)
  • Dynamic Simulation Studies of Structural Formation and Transition in Electro-Magneto-Rheological Fluids (Z Wang et al.)
  • Structures of a Magnetorheological Fluid (G L Gulley & R Tao)
• Properties:
  • A Comparison Between Electrorheological and Magnetorheological Fluids Subjected to Impulsive Loads (A K E Wahed et al.)
  • Electrorheological Fluids Under Shear (R Tao et al.)
  • Shearing Effects on the Electrorheological Response (K Tanaka et al.)
• Applications of Magnetorheological Fluids:
  • Low-Cost MR Fluid Sponge Devices (J D Carlson)
  • Heating of Magnetorheological Fluid Dampers: An Experimental Study (F Gordaninejad & D G Breese)
  • Vibration Suppression of an MR Fluid Damper System with Frequency-Shaped LQ Control (K Kim et al.)
• Application of Electrorheological Fluids:
  • Haptic Device Working with an Electrorheological Fluid (H Böse & H-J Berkemeier)
  • Actuator Making Use of Electro-Rheological Fluids Proposition of Movable Electrode Type ER Actuator (Y Kondoh & S Yokota)
  • Development of High-Performance Actuators Using ER Fluids (M Sakaguchi & J Furusho)
  • and other papers