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Journal of Polymer & Composites Original Research

Effects of Sub-Zero Temperatures on the Viscoelastic Properties of Magnetorheological Elastomer

  1. Suziyani Zin Department of Engineering Materials and Structures (eMast) iKohza, Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), Universiti Teknologi, Kuala Lumpur
  2. Nur Azmah Nordin Department of Engineering Materials and Structures (eMast) iKohza / Automotive Development Centre, Institute for Sustainable Transport (IST), Universiti Teknologi, Kuala Lumpur
  3. Saiful Amri Mazlan Department of Engineering Materials and Structures (eMast) iKohza / Automotive Development Centre, Institute for Sustainable Transport (IST), Universiti Teknologi, Kuala Lumpur
  4. Mohd Aidy Faizal Johari Department of Engineering Materials and Structures (eMast) iKohza, Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), Universiti Teknologi, Kuala Lumpur
  5. Abdul Yasser Abd Fatah Department of Smart Engineering and Advanced Technology (SEAT), Faculty of Artificial Intelligence (FAI), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, 54100, Kuala Lumpur
  6. Rehnupreya Hentry Viension Department of Engineering Materials and Structures (eMast) iKohza, Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), Universiti Teknologi, Kuala Lumpur
  7. Nur Hairunnisa Kamarudin Department of Engineering Materials and Structures (eMast) iKohza, Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), Universiti Teknologi, Kuala Lumpur

Abstract

Magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) are smart materials capable of tuneable stiffness and damping under applied magnetic fields. This renders the material as a promising candidate for adaptive vibration control and semi-active engineering applications. While their behaviour at elevated temperatures has been widely explored, limited attention has been given to their performance under sub-zero conditions, which are critical for cold-environment applications. As this has become an important concern, the study investigates the influence of sub-zero temperatures on the viscoelastic properties of silicone-based MREs, containing 70 wt.% of carbonyl iron particles. For the rheological study under dynamic shear loading, the MRE samples were fabricated under isotropic condition and subjected to controlled sub-zero conditioning at −15°C, −20°C and −25°C for five days each. Rheological characterization was conducted using oscillatory shear tests under both off-state and on-state magnetic field conditions. Key parameters including initial storage modulus (G′₀), storage modulus (G′) and magnetorheological (MR) effect, were evaluated. Hardness test was then carried out using Shore A hardness, while morphological analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to correlate microstructural changes with the properties change. The results show a significant increase in stiffness with decreasing temperatures, as indicated by higher storage modulus and hardness values. This finding is attributed to restricted polymer chain mobility and enhanced particle–matrix interactions. However, the relative MR effect decreases at lower temperatures, suggesting reduced field-induced tunability capability due to limited particle interactions within the stiffer matrix. Microstructural observations reveal wrinkles, interfacial debonding and small holes caused by thermal mismatch, contributing to increased rigidity and reduced energy dissipation. Overall, the findings highlight a trade-off between stiffness enhancement and MR performance under sub-zero conditions, providing valuable insights for the design of MRE-based systems for low-temperature applications.

Keywords

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