Abstract
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Novel isotropic and anisotropic thermoplastic magnetorheological elastomers (MRE) were
prepared by melt blending titanated coupling agent modified carbonyl iron (CI) particles with
poly(styrene-b-ethylene-ethylene–propylene-b-styrene) (SEEPS) matrix in the absence and
presence of a magnetic field, and the microstructure and magnetorheological properties of
these SEEPS-based MRE were investigated in detail. The particle surface modification
improves the dispersion of the particles in the matrix and remarkably softens the CI/SEEPS
composites, thus significantly enhancing the MR effect and improving the processability of
these SEEPS-based MRE. A microstructural model was proposed to describe the interfacial
compatibility mechanism that occurred in the CI/SEEPS composites after titanate coupling
agent modification, and validity of this model was also demonstrated through adsorption tests
of unmodified and surface-modified CI particles.