Low-temperature heat capacity of magnetic fluids

A. V. Lebedev

Institute of Continuous Media Mechanics, Ural Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 614013 Perm, Russia

Abstract
This paper continues the previous investigation into a recently discovered phenomenon of magnetic fluid solidification at temperatures essentially exceeding the freezing point of the base fluid. Physically, this phenomenon is related to the fact that at decreasing temperatures the magnetic fluid loses fluidity (with its viscosity tending to infinity) at a temperature higher than the freezing point of the base fluid. The main factor determining the freezing point is the type of the surface-active substance covering the particles. A group of different surfactants is examined with the aim of finding the lowest possible solidification temperature. The best result is obtained for linoleic acid (-100\degC). In order to gain a deeper insight into the mechanisms of fluid solidification, a series of thermophysical measurements has been done. Heat capacity measurements made for an isooctane-based magnetic fluid stabilized by oleic acid at a temperature ranging from -130\degC to 0 did not reveal any noticeable heat capacity anomalies in the vicinity of the solidification temperature. This suggests that the solidification of the magnetic fluid proceeds without phase transition. The highest peak of the heat flux is observed at the freezing point of isooctane. The position of the maximum slightly changes with the concentration of magnetic particles. With an increase of the concentration the temperature of the heat flux maximum decreases. In the presence of free oleic acid in isooctane a low peak is observed at a temperature of about -15\degC. The peak position is independent of the oleic acid concentration. Tables 1, Figs 7, Refs 1.