Ferromagnetic fluid flow in a magnetic field

E. N. Mozgovoi - E. Ya. Blum - A. O. Tsebers

Institute of Physics, Latvian Academy of Sciences, Salaspils-1, LV-2169, Latvia

Abstract
Results of an investigation of isothermal flow of a finely dispersed suspension of iron in toluene in circular and plane-parallel channels are presented. It is shown that the superposition of a homogeneous magnetic field on the flow leads to an increase in observed viscosity. The contribution of the field to an increase in friction depends both on the volume fraction of the discrete phase and on the magnitude and orientation of the field relative to the channel. The experimental results are discussed from the viewpoint of the hydrodynamics of fluid systems with intrinsic rotation of particles having a fixed magnetic moment. The results are in agreement with the theoretical conclusions of others. It is pointed out that measurements of effective viscosity in a magnetic field can be used for studying the physicochemical structure of colloidal solutions.