Chain formation and chain dynamics in a dilute magnetorheological fluid.

Magnetorheological fluids are suspensions of magnetizable particles that reversibly change from liquid to solid when subjected to a magnetic field. A field-induced structure of dipolar chains is responsible for these changes. Our work aimed at understanding chain dynamics and the kinetics of chain formation by using dynamic light scattering. Chain length is determined by measurement of the diffusion coefficient. Chain-length growth shows a Smoluchowski behavior.