This company has introduced a new system for characterization of magneto-rheological (MR) fluids. The Magneto-Rheology accessory for the Discovery hybrid rheometer reportedly enables parallel plate and cone-plate rheological measurements under the influence of a controlled field at temperatures as high as 170°C and fields as high as 1 Tesla.
MR fluids are one class of “smart fluids,” those fluids that can have their flow properties change greatly and reversibly by the application of an external stimulus, such as a magnetic field. These advanced materials have current and potential applications in fields such as advanced automotive bearings and suspensions, tunable polishing slurries, and ballistic defense.