Forced diffusion in magnetic fluids under the influence of a strong magnetic field gradient

We have investigated the forced diffusion of magnetic nanoparticles suspended in a carrier liquid under the influence of a magnetic field gradient. A cylindrical layer of the suspension was exposed to an azimuthal magnetic field with radial gradient. The radial distribution of the concentration of magnetic particles was determined for different times. The obtained experimental data are compared with a numerical solution of the diffusion equation and good agreement has been observed.     

Two-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations of structures of a suspension comprised of magnetic and nonmagnetic particles in uniform magnetic fields

The structures of suspensions comprised of magnetic and nonmagnetic particles in magnetic fields are studied using two-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations. The magnetic interaction among magnetic particles, magnetic field strength, and concentrations of both magnetic and nonmagnetic particles are considered as key influencing factors in the present work. The results show that chain-like clusters of magnetic particles are formed along the field direction. The size of the clusters increases with increasing magnetic interaction between magnetic particles, while it keeps nearly unchanged as the field strength increases. As the concentration of magnetic particles increases, both the number and size of the clusters increase. Moreover, nonmagnetic particles are found to hinder the migration of magnetic ones. As the concentration of nonmagnetic particles increases, the hindrance on migration of magnetic particles is enhanced.     

两个非磁性颗粒在磁流体中的沉降现象研究

在磁场作用下,在磁流体里添加非磁性颗粒(non-magnetic particles,NPs),可以使得NPs形成不同的结构,操控NPs的运动从而影响磁流体的特性,这种应用逐渐受到了研究者的关注.为了更好地操控磁流体里NPs的运动,本文采用一种多物理模型研究在外加磁场作用下,磁流体中两个NPs沉降的运动过程.其中,用格子玻尔兹曼方法模拟磁流体的运动,外加磁场对磁流体的影响用一种自修正方法求解泊松方程,这个自修正方法可以使欧姆定律满足守恒定律.NPs之间的偶极干扰力采用偶极力模型,同时采用一种相对过渡平滑的共轭边界条件处理NPs与磁流体交界面的流固干扰以避免磁场密度过渡的突变.本文主要探究两个NPs在磁流体中的沉降,揭示磁场作用下NPs的相互干扰原理;同时,对控制NPs运动时的参数进行调节,得到NPs不同的运动轨迹,达到操控颗粒运动的目的.本研究可对NPs在磁流体中的应用提供定量的分析结果,对NPs在工业上的应用提供有力的理论支撑.     

Computer simulation of structures and distributions of particles in MAGIC fluid

MAGIC (MAG-netic Intelligent Compound) is a solidified magnetic ferrofluid (MF) containing both magnetic particles (MPs) and abrasive particles (APs, nonmagnetic) of micron size. The distribution of APs in MAGIC can be controlled by applying a magnetic field during cooling process of MAGIC fluid. In this paper, the influences of magnetic field, size and concentration of particles on the final structures of MPs and the distributions of APs in MAGIC fluid are preliminarily investigated using Stokesian dynamic (SD) simulation method. Simulation results show that MPs prefer to form strip-like structures in MAGIC fluid, the reason for this phenomenon is mainly attributed to the strong dipolar interactions between them. It is also found that MPs prefer to form big agglomerations in weak magnetic field while chains and strip-like structures in strong magnetic field; no long chains or strip-like structures of MPs are observed in low-concentration MAGIC fluid; and for big-size MPs, pure wall-like structures are formed. Evaluation on the distribution of APs with uniformity coefficient shows that strong magnetic field, high concentration and small-size particles can induce more uniform distribution of APs in MAGIC fluid, the uniformity of APs in MAGIC is about 10% higher than that in normal grinding tools.     

Electric field distribution around the chain of composite nanoparticles in ferrofluids

Composite nanoparticles (NPs) have the ability of combining materials with different properties together, thus receiving extensive attention in many fields. Here we theoretically investigate the electric field distribution around core/shell NPs (a type of composite NPs) in ferrofluids under the influence of an external magnetic field. The NPs are made of cobalt (ferromagnetic) coated with gold (metallic). Under the influence of the external magnetic field, these NPs will align along the direction of this field, thus forming a chain of NPs. According to Laplace's equations, we obtain electric fields inside and outside the NPs as a function of the incident wavelength by taking into account the mutual interaction between the polarized NPs. Our calculation results show that the electric field distribution is closely related to the resonant incident wavelength, the metallic shell thickness, and the inter-particle distance. These analytical calculations agree well with our numerical simulation results. This kind of field-induced anisotropic soft-matter systems offers the possibility of obtaining an enhanced Raman scattering substrate due to enhanced electric fields.     

强磁场作用下Cu熔体中富Fe颗粒的迁移与排列

凝固界面前沿颗粒间的相互作用决定了颗粒的运动轨迹、分布和材料的性能,控制熔体中颗粒的迁移可用于材料的净化和提纯.在Cu-30%Fe合金液固两相区施加不同的强磁场条件,富Fe颗粒的分布和排列不尽相同.当无强磁场作用时,富Fe颗粒较均匀地分布在Cu熔体中;随着施加稳恒强磁场磁感应强度的增加,富Fe颗粒向远离重力方向的试样上端迁移,样品底部几乎无富Fe颗粒;而施加向下的梯度磁场作用后,富Fe颗粒沿重力方向向下迁移.结合强磁场作用下颗粒的受力情况,分析了Fe颗粒的迁移行为.不同磁场条件和不同区域的颗粒直径统计分析表明,随磁感应强度增加,Fe颗粒聚合增加,但施加梯度强磁场后颗粒的团聚又逐渐减弱,对此从影响颗粒运动的Stokes和Marangoni凝并速度进行了讨论.从能量最低的角度解释了富Fe相沿平行磁场方向的取向排列.     

Magnetophoresis and diffusion of colloidal particles in a thin layer of magnetic fluids

Experimental and theoretical studies were carried out to investigate the spatial distribution of colloidal particles in magnetic fluids formed under the influence of magnetophoresis and gradient diffusion in a strong magnetic field. Several theoretical models, describing the equilibrium concentration profiles for rigid chain-like and quasispherical aggregates, are discussed. The experiment was made for four samples of magnetic fluids, differing in the average diameter of magnetic particles and the width of the particle size distribution. The analysis of the experimental data shows that the aggregates essentially change the concentration profile, making it nonlinear even in small (2 mm) magnetic fluid samples. Good agreement between the experimental and theoretical curves is observed in the case when the aggregates contain on the average 40-50 particles. The average diameter of single particles, calculated from the concentration profile curves, coincides with the average diameter, found from the magnetogranulometric analysis.     

On the stability of a free surface of a magnetic fluid under microgravity

We have investigated the behavior of a free surface of a suspension of ferrimagnetic particles in heptane under strongly reduced gravity. It was found that the free surface is destabilized when a homogeneous magnetic field parallel to the surface is applied. The strength of the critical magnetic field parallel to the surface varies with the volume concentration of magnetic particles in the suspension. We show that the destabilization of the fluid layer is forced by the influence of the suspension on the homogeneity of the magnetic field producing a magnetic field component normal to the fluid surface. The dependence of the critical magnetic field on the volume concentration of magnetic particles can be explained by applying the theory of the normal-field instability to this field component under conditions of strongly reduced gravity. The experiments were carried out at the drop tower ‘Bremen’ of the Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM) in Bremen.     

Quasi-2D Monte Carlo simulations of phase transitions and internal aggregate structures in a highly dense suspension composed of magnetic plate-like particles

The phase transitions and the internal aggregate structures of a highly dense suspension composed of magnetic plate-like particles with a magnetic moment normal to the particle axis have been investigated by means of the Monte Carlo method. The present study considered a quasi-2D system in order to clarify the influences of the volumetric fraction of particles and the magnetic field strength on particle aggregations and phase transitions. The internal structures of particle aggregates have been discussed quantitatively in terms of pair correlation functions, orientational pair correlation functions, nematic and polar order parameters. The main results obtained here are summarized as follows. When the influence of the magnetic interaction between particles is of the same order of that of the perpendicular magnetic field strength, the particles form column-like clusters, and the internal structure of the suspension shows solid-like structures. For the case of a strong applied magnetic field, the internal structure is transformed from solid-like structures into isotropic ones. However, as the volumetric fraction increases, the particles form brick wall-like structures under the situation of a strong applied magnetic field, and the internal structure exhibits solid-like ones. The brick wall-like structures also appear for a relatively weak magnetic field applied along the in-plane direction despite a slightly smaller volumetric fraction compared with the case of the perpendicular applied magnetic field.     

On the theory of rheological properties of magnetic suspensions

The paper deals with a theoretical study of influence of magnetic field on effective viscosity of suspension of non-Brownian magnetizable particles. It is supposed that experimentally observed magnetorheological effects are provided by chain-like aggregates, consisting of the particles. Unlike previous works on this subject, we take into account that the chains cannot be identical and estimate their size distribution. The following power law (η-η₀)/η₀∼Mn^-Δ, detected in many experiments, is obtained theoretically (η and η₀ are the suspension effective viscosity and the carrier liquid viscosity, respectively, Mn is the so-called Mason number, proportional to the shear rate and inversely proportional to the square of magnetic field). The calculated magnitude of the exponent Δ increases with the applied magnetic field from approximately 0.66 to 0.8-0.9 and slowly increases with the volume concentration ? of the particles. These results are in agreement with known experiments.     

Structural phase transitions in isotropic magnetic elastomers

Magnetic elastomers represent a new type of materials that are “soft” matrices with “hard” magnetic granules embedded in them. The elastic forces of the matrix and the magnetic forces acting between granules are comparable in magnitude even under small deformations. As a result, these materials acquire a number of new properties; in particular, their mechanical and/or magnetic characteristics can depend strongly on the polymer matrix filling with magnetic particles and can change under the action of an external magnetic field, pressure, and temperature. To describe the properties of elastomers, we use a model in which the interaction of magnetic granules randomly arranged in space with one another is described in the dipole approximation by the distribution function of dipole fields, while their interaction with the matrix is described phenomenologically. A multitude of deformation, magnetic-field, and temperature effects that are described in this paper and are quite accessible to experimental observation arise within this model.     

Lattice Boltzmann simulation of the two-dimensional flow of a magnetic suspension between two parallel walls under a non-uniform magnetic field

We have developed a lattice Boltzmann method based on fluctuation hydrodynamics that is applicable to the flow problem of a particle suspension. In this method, we have introduced the viscosity-modifying method, rather than the velocity-scaling method, in which a modified viscosity is used for generating random forces in lattice Boltzmann simulations. The viscosity-modifying method is found to be applicable to the simulation of a magnetic particle suspension. We have applied this method to the two-dimensional Poiseuille flow of a magnetic suspension between two parallel walls in order to investigate the behavior of magnetic particles in a non-uniform applied magnetic field. From the results of the snapshots, the pair correlation function between the magnetic pole and the magnetic particles and the averaged local particle velocity and magnetization distributions, it was observed that the behavior of the magnetic particles changes significantly depending upon which factor dominates the phenomenon in the balance between the magnetic particle–particle interaction, the non-uniform applied magnetic field and the translational and rotational Brownian motion.     

Nonlinear oscillation characteristics of magnetic microbubbles under acoustic and magnetic fields

Microbubbles loaded with magnetic nanoparticles (MMBs) have attracted increasing interests in multimode imaging and drug/gene delivery and targeted therapy. However, the dynamic behaviors generated in diagnostic and therapeutic applications are not clear. In the present work, a novel theoretical model of a single MMB was developed, and the dynamic responses in an infinite viscous fluid were investigated under simultaneous exposure to magnetic and acoustic fields. The results showed that the amplitude reduces and the resonant frequency increases with the strength of the applied steady magnetic field and the susceptibility of the magnetic shell. However, the magnetic field has a limited influence on the oscillating. It is also noticed that the responses of MMB to a time-varying magnetic field is different from a steady magnetic field. The subharmonic components increase firstly and then decrease with the frequency of the magnetic field and the enhanced effect is related to the acoustic driving frequency. It is indicated that there may be a coupling interaction effect between the acoustic and magnetic fields.     

强磁场对Al-Si合金凝固组织中硅分布的影响

为了揭示强磁场对金属凝固组织的影响规律，本文研究了Al-14.98%Si(质量分数)和Al-9.2%Si(质量分数)合金在强磁场作用下凝固组织的变化趋势，分析了强磁场对合金凝固组织中Si分布的影响.研究发现，均恒磁场和梯度磁场分别通过洛伦兹力和磁化力的作用对合金的凝固组织产生影响，强磁场可以显著改变初晶硅在合金中的分布状况.在均恒磁场作用条件下初晶硅在合金中均匀分布；在梯度磁场条件下，由于磁化力和浮力的共同作用，初晶硅在试样的上部或下部聚集.同时，磁化力也改变了共晶体在合金中的组织形态，使试样上部和下部共晶体的层片间距明显不同.理论和实验分析表明，Al-Si合金在强磁场中凝固时，磁场能作用于凝固过程，使共晶体中的Al含量增大，共晶点向左偏移. 关键词： 强磁场 凝固过程 共晶组织 Al-Si合金     

CFD study on the magnetic fluid delivering in the vessel in high-gradient magnetic field

This paper simulated the advection and diffusion behaviors of the moving magnetic fluid in the vessel in the high-gradient magnetic field using Navier–Stokes equations. The particles accumulation behavior and the streamlines and the contour of concentration are all affected by the susceptibility, intensity of magnetic field and its gradient, and the flow velocity and also by the difference in size of vessels. The typical accumulation behaves as a solid obstacle in the flow as result of the competing between magnetic and fluid drag forces, and gives rise to a rigidly bound core region followed by a wash away region near the vessel boundary under the condition of 10 mm vessel in width. While the vessel is near 1 mm in width, the magnetic force is exerted almost on the whole vessel area, the vortex is not seen, the wash away area disappears and the concentration changes in the whole vessel. The results of the analysis provide meaningful information on ferrofluid transport and stabilization for various magnetic drug targeting and the magnetic fluid sealing, and other use in industrial and medical fields.     

Rotational Brownian dynamics simulations of non-interacting magnetized ellipsoidal particles in d.c. and a.c. magnetic fields

The rotational Brownian motion of magnetized tri-axial ellipsoidal particles (orthotropic particles) suspended in a Newtonian fluid, in the dilute suspension limit, under applied d.c. and a.c. magnetic fields was studied using rotational Brownian dynamics simulations. The algorithm describing the change in the suspension magnetization was obtained from the stochastic angular momentum equation using the fluctuation-dissipation theorem and a quaternion formulation of orientation space. Simulation results are in agreement with the Langevin function for equilibrium magnetization and with single-exponential relaxation from equilibrium at small fields using Perrin's effective relaxation time. Dynamic susceptibilities for ellipsoidal particles of different aspect ratios were obtained from the response to oscillating magnetic fields of different frequencies and described by Debye's model for the complex susceptibility using Perrin's effective relaxation time. Simulations at high equilibrium and probe fields indicate that Perrin's effective relaxation time continues to describe relaxation from equilibrium and response to oscillating fields even beyond the small field limit.     

Brownian dynamics simulations with spin Brownian motion on the negative magneto-rheological effect of a rod-like hematite particle suspension

We have investigated the behaviour of a suspension of magnetic rod-like hematite particles in a simple shear flow with the addition of an applied magnetic field. A significant feature of the present hematite particle suspension is the fact that the magnetic moment of the hematite particle lies normal to the particle-axis direction. From simulations, we have attempted to clarify the dependence of the negative magneto-rheological effect on the particle aggregation and orientational distribution of particles. The present Brownian dynamics method has a significant advantage in that it takes into account the spin rotational Brownian motion about the particle axis in addition to the ordinary translational and rotational Brownian motion. The net viscosity is decomposed into three components and discussed at a deeper level and in detail: these three viscosity components arise from (1) the torque due to the magnetic particle–field interaction, (2) the torque and (3) the force due to the interaction between particles. It is found that a slight change in the orientational distribution has a significant influence on the negative magneto-rheological effect. In a relatively dense suspension, the viscosity components arising from an applied magnetic field and the interaction between particles come to change rapidly for a certain strength of the magnetic particle–particle interaction, which is due to the onset of the formation of raft-like clusters.     

Periodic structure of acicular magnetic clusters in a magnetic liquid

The behavior of magnetic clusters in a magnetic liquid placed in a circular capillary is considered. When a uniform magnetic field is applied to the system, acicular clusters grow from the sediment, being aligned with the field. The interaction of the clusters as magnetic dipoles with one another and with an external gradient magnetic field is considered theoretically. In a nonuniform symmetric magnetic field with a peak, the cluster distribution is uniform near the peak. Such a distribution is fairly stable when the magnetic field gradient is varied over certain limits. The ordered (periodic) cluster configuration is realized experimentally, and it is shown that its period can be controlled. As the magnetic field gradient exceeds a certain threshold, the clusters are redistributed, forming a multirow hexagonal array.     

Pair correlations in magnetic nanodispersed fluids

The pair distribution function of a monodisperse magnetic fluid simulated by a liquid made of dipolar hard spheres with constant magnetic moments is calculated. The anisotropy of the pair distribution function and the related structure factor of scattering in a dc uniform magnetic field are studied. The calculation is performed by diagrammatic expansion in the volume concentration of particles and the interparticle magnetic-dipole interaction intensity using a thermodynamic perturbation theory. Limitation by three-particle diagrams makes it possible to apply the results obtained to magnetic fluids with a moderate concentration. Even for low-concentration and weakly nonideal magnetic fluids, the anisotropic interparticle magnetic-dipole correlations in a magnetic field lead to the repulsion of particles in the direction normal to the field and to the formation of particle dimers along the field.     

Magnetization relaxation of uniaxial anisotropic ferromagnetic particles with linear reaction dynamics driven by DC/AC magnetic field

The response of uniaxial anisotropic ferromagnetic particles with linear reaction dynamics subjected to alternating current(AC) or direct current(DC) bias magnetic field is evaluated by the reaction–diffusion equation for the probability distribution function of the molecular concentration in the spherical coordinate system. The magnetization function and the probability distribution function of the magnetic particles in the reaction system are derived by using the Legendre polynomials and Laplace transform. We discuss the characteristics of magnetization and probability distribution of the magnetic particles with different anisotropic parameters driven by a DC and AC magnetic fields, respectively. It is shown that both the magnetization and the probability distribution decrease with time increasing due to the reaction process. The uniformity of the probability distribution and the amplitude of the magnetization are both affected by the anisotropic parameters.Meanwhile, the difference between the case with linear reaction dynamics and the non-reaction case is discussed.