Field-Induced Nonlinear Particle Chaining

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Dielectric particles in an applied electric field tend to form chains aligned parallel to the field. This research will measure the force between chained dielectric particles and the effective dipole moment of the chain as functions of the particle type, particle size, and chain length. These measurements will be made in an improved dielectrophoretic levitation apparatus. A theory for the interparticle force will be developed paying special attention to non- linear electrical effects arising from the high field in the small gap between adjacent particles. The dielectric force and particle chaining play essential roles in electrorheology for the control of properties of particle suspensions and in xerographic printing with toner particles. The current research should aid the engineering of these processes which until now have remained largely based on empiricism.