Simulation of Uniaxial Deformation of a Ferrogel Sample Exposed by the External Magnetic Field

Abstract

Ferrogels are magnetoactive composite materials with very soft hydrogel matrix, filled by ferromagnetic particles. This work is devoted to a numerical investigation of magneto-mechanical behaviour of a small sample of ferrogel. Our model is based on a coarse grained molecular dynamics approach: polymeric matrix is emulated by lattice of bead-strings chains and magnetic single-domain particles are considered as rigid spheres and placed in a nodes of the lattice. This model was previously successfully used for a research of equilibrium magnetization of the material. Here we examine of the reaction of ferrogel sample on uniaxial tension in presence of an external magnetic field. Modelling proves that key role in a changes of mechanical response during the magnetization plays an internal structure of material, specifically, the existence of particles aggregates, induced by forces of dipolar magnetic interaction. Also the influence of magnetic anisotropy on a process is considered. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.