Results between 2011 and today

We have investigated the 
behavior of magnetic particles between the 
two parallel walls in a 
non-uniform applied magnetic field situation.
 
Magnetic particles will 
move into the region on this macroscopic flow 
through the upstream boundary 
surface, be attracted around each 
magnetic pole under the non-equilibrium 
magnetic field, or move in
the downstream direction without being attracted, 
and move out of 
the simulation area thorough the downstream surface. 
This simulation may be an advancing 
simulation in which the Brownian motion is activated by means of the 
viscosity-modified 
procedure and the multi-body hydrodynamic interactions 
are taken into account.  

For the case where the magnetic field is 
equal to the
influence of the magnetic interaction between 
particles,
 some clusters are formed in a loop-like formation 
and
move in the downstream direction without attachment to
the magnetic 
poles and some clusters are formed in a
long chain-like formation with the 
end particles anchored
around the magnetic pole. 
For the case where the 
magnetic interaction between 
particles is 
significantly dominant, large packed clusters
and chain-like clusters are 
formed and flow in the
downstream direction without attachment to 
the
magnetic poles.  

In order to apply the lattice Boltzmann method to a flow problem of 
magnetic suspensions, we
have investigated the feasibility of the 
viscosity-modifying method that is expected to be a technique
for 
sophisticating the activating method of the particle Brownian motion based on 
fluctuation 
hydrodynamics. 

The 
figures on the left-hand side are for a very weak applied 
magnetic 
field and those on the right-hand side are for a very
strong applied magnetic 
field.
The snapshots at a lower position are obtained for a 
stronger
applied magnetic field. 
 
In the case of a weak 
magnetic field, network-like clusters are formed, and in the case of a strong 
magnetic field, chain-like clusters are formed in the magnetic field 
direction.  These aggregate structures are in good agreement with those of 
the Monte Carlo method. 

We may conclude that the lattice Boltzmann 
method with the viscosity-scaling procedure is quite a possible technique for 
simulating a flow problem of magnetic particles under a non-uniform applied 
magnetic field. 
 
The modified viscosity is almost constant and 
independent of the strengths of magnetic particle-field and particle-particle 
interactions, and the variation of the volumetric 
fraction.

As a model of 
the oblate hematite particles that are generated experimentally, we use the 
oblate spheroidal particle shown in Fig.1. The particle is assumed to have a 
magnetic moment normal to the particle axis at the particle center.  





As a model of 
the rod-like hematite particles, we use the prolate spheroidal 
particle shown in Fig.1. The particle is assumed to have a magnetic moment 
normal to the particle axis at the particle center.  

The orientational distribution has a one-peak type shape 
for a weak magnetic field, and comes to have a linear-peak type shape with 
increasing magnetic field strength. 
(a) For a significantly weak 
magnetic field 
One-peak type distribution. 
(b) 
For a magnetic field with medium field 
strength
(c) For a significantly strong 
magnetic field
A linear-peak type 
shape
The spin rotational Brownian motion does not 
influence the shape of the orientational distribution. 

The viscosity 
becomes NEGATIVE with increasing applied magnetic field strength as predicted by 
the theory without the 
spin rotational Brownian motion.  
The 
spin rotational Brownian motion has a quantitative effect on
 the negative 
viscosity, although the dependence of the negative
 viscosity on the magnetic 
field strength is in qualitatively good
 agreement with that of the theory 
without the spin rotational
 Brownian motion
The effect of the spin 
rotational Brownian motion quantitatively
 appears as a significant decrease 
in the negative viscosity
 effect. 

The negative magneto-rheological effect can be obtained 
for
 a larger aspect ratio or for a more prolate hematite 
particle.