Order Parameter Description of Formation of Chains in Electrorheological Fluids

A simple long-range-order parameterPis defined for describing the process of formation of chains in the electric field direction. The free energy of the system is taken to be the sum of the internal energy, the electrostatic interaction and configuration entropy as a function o P. Calculated results indicate that the critical parameter is a function of electric field, temperature, misfit dielectric coefficients and concentration of particles.