Electroviscoelastic effect of polymeric composites consisting of polyelectrolyte particles and polymer gel

The dynamic viscoelasticity of polymeric composites consisting of silicone gel and polymethacrylic acid cobalt(II) salt (PMACo) particles was studied in d.c. electric fields. It was measured by applying sinusoidally varying shear strain or compressive strain to the composites. It was found that the electric fields enhanced the storage and loss moduli of the composites, and changed the loss tangent (electroviscoelastic effect). The amount of the electroviscoelastic effect was influenced by the content of absorbed water in the PMACo particle, the fraction of PMACo particles, and the intensity of the electric field. It also depended on the amplitude and frequency of the applied strain. The increments of the compressive moduli due to the electroviscoelastic effect were much larger than those of the shear moduli.