Non-linear dielectric response of ferrofluids under magnetic field

The dielectric response of a water-based magnetic fluid is investigated at room temperature and in the frequency range of 100-107 rad/s. The response is linear in the electric fields used. Upon application of a constant magnetic field of 40 mT, which is well below the sample saturation, the response becomes non-linear. Magnetic field effects are isolated by performing a differential analysis of the inverse dielectric permittivity with and without applied field in both perpendicular and parallel configurations. The imaginary part of the differential inverse permittivity displays two peaks. The low-frequency peak is seen to correspond to the orientation relaxation of aggregates also detected in SAXS, photon correlation and atomic force microscopy measurements. The high-frequency peak corresponds to single magnetic particle reorientation