Electrorheological characteristics of conducting polypyrrole/swollen MCM-41 nanocomposite

Nanocomposite of mesoporous swollen MCM-41 (S-MCM-41) with conducting polypyrrole (PPY) (PPY/S-MCM-41) confined inside uniformly aligned one-dimensional channels of the S-MCM-41 was prepared, and its physical and electrorheological (ER) characteristics when dispersed in silicone oil were examined under an applied electric field. N2-adsorption isotherm and XRD analysis were employed to confirm successful insertion of the PPY chain into host channels of the S-MCM-41. ER responses of the nanocomposite based ER fluid were investigated using a rotational rheometer, showing typical ER characteristics of the increment of shear stress as a function of an applied electric field strength.