Titanium glycerolate-based electrorheological fluids with stable properties

Titanium glycerolate (TiGly) particles were prepared with different molar ratios of glycerol to tetrabutyltitanate (TBOT) (glycerol/TBOT = 2, 2.5, and 3) by a simple precipitation method. For comparison, titanium propanediol (TiPro) particles were prepared with 1,3-propanediol and TBOT (propanediol/TBOT = 2) by the same route. The composition and morphology of the four kinds of particles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The results indicate that the secondary hydroxyl groups originating from glycerolate are doped into the TiGly particles, and the four kinds of particles present different morphology. The suspensions prepared with TiGly particles by 60% weight fraction and silicone oil show significant electrorheological (ER) performance, while the TiPro particles-based fluid with the same particles fraction present weak ER properties. Constant shear rate and step-function electric field pulses were applied to investigate the stability of the ER fluids. The TiGly particles synthesized with the molar ratio of glycerol to TBOT equaling 2.5 exhibit significant (similar to 40 kPa at 5 kV mm(-1)) and stable ER activity.