Microstructure and magnetorheological properties of the thermoplastic magnetorheological elastomer composites containing modified carbonyl iron particles and poly(styrene-b-ethyleneethylenepropylene- b-styrene) matrix

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.