Dielectric Nanofluids for Electrostatic Machines & Actuators

Dielectric suspensions consisting of sterically coated, nano-scale barium titanium particles in the organic ester, isoamyl isovalerate, were developed to enhance the field forces in electrostatic machinery. The relative permittivity and conductivity of the suspensions were measured experimentally, as was the electrostatic force developed upon application of significant electric fields. At a particle concentration of 10% by volume, the relative permittivity of the suspension was approximately 50% greater than that of the base solvent. However, this improvement came at the expense of detriments to the conductivity and rheology of the suspension. These challenges must be addressed before dielectric suspensions can be used in such challenging applications.