Yin and Zhao Nanoscale Research Letters 2011, 6:256 NANO REVIEW Open Access Electrorheology of nanofiber suspensions Jianbo Yin* and Xiaopeng Zhao* Abstract Electrorheological (ER) fluid, which can be transformed rapidly from a fluid-like state to a solid-like state under an external electric field, is considered to be one of the most important smart fluids. However, conventional ER fluids based on microparticles are subjected to challenges in practical applications due to the lack of versatile performances. Recent researches of using nanoparticles as the dispersal phase have led to new interest in the development of non-conventional ER fluids with improved performances. In this review, we especially. | Yin and Zhao Nanoscale Research Letters 2011 6 256 http content 6 1 256 o Nanoscale Research Letters a SpringerOpen Journal NANO REVIEW Open Access Electrorheology of nanofiber suspensions Jianbo Yin and Xiaopeng Zhao Abstract Electrorheological ER fluid which can be transformed rapidly from a fluid-like state to a solid-like state under an external electric field is considered to be one of the most important smart fluids. However conventional ER fluids based on microparticles are subjected to challenges in practical applications due to the lack of versatile performances. Recent researches of using nanoparticles as the dispersal phase have led to new interest in the development of non-conventional ER fluids with improved performances. In this review we especially focus on the recent researches on electrorheology of various nanofiber-based suspensions including inorganic organic and inorganic organic composite nanofibers. Our goal is to highlight the advantages of using anisotropic nanostructured materials as dispersal phases to improve ER performances. Introduction Since the discovery of carbon nanotubes CNTs by lijima 1 there has been great interest in the synthesis characterization and applications of one-dimensional 1D nanostructures. Nanofiber is an important class of 1D nanostructures which offers opportunities to study the relationship between electrical magnetic optical and other physical properties with dimensionality and size confinement. Various nanofibers including metal inorganic organic and inorganic organic composite have synthesized by different strategies 2-4 . Not only single nanofibers can act as building blocks for the generation of various nanoscale devices such as nanosensors nanoactuators nanolasers nanopiezotronics nanogenerators nanophotovoltaics etc. 5-14 but the incorporation of nanofibers in matrices would also produce advanced composite materials with enhanced properties 4 15-17 . On the other hand due to some .
