Honeycomb structure of oil due to an electric field

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the phenomenon of oil rearranging into a honeycomb structure under the influence of a high-voltage electric field, specifically using DC voltage of 8kV or higher. The setup involves a needle and a plate beneath the oil, with the needle acting as one pole of the electric field. The experiment referenced utilized a 15cm diameter plate and an M6 screw measuring 4cm in length, yielding similar results to those observed in the video shared. The rearrangement is attributed to the ionization of the oil, which is then influenced by the electric field to form hexagonal patterns.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of high-voltage electric fields
  • Knowledge of fluid dynamics and behavior of liquids under electric fields
  • Familiarity with ionization processes in dielectric materials
  • Experience with experimental setups involving DC voltage applications
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  • Research the effects of electric fields on dielectric fluids
  • Explore the principles of electrohydrodynamics (EHD)
  • Investigate the role of ionization in fluid behavior under electric fields
  • Learn about experimental design for high-voltage applications in fluid dynamics
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Researchers in electrohydrodynamics, physicists studying fluid behavior under electric fields, and engineers involved in high-voltage applications will benefit from this discussion.

kiloNewton
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Hi, I've been working on a problem for some time now and I can't figure out why exactly this happens, and I've been looking for some insight. The phenomenon can be seen in this video.
We can see that the oil rearranges itself due to a high-voltage electric field. Thinking about this, my solution was that the oil gets ionised and is then influenced by the el. field to form the seen hexagons. I'm not looking for deriving mathematical proof, I've already set up most of my equations, and due to some thinking I've overthrown my previous explanation. Any ideas?
 
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Where is the high voltage applied? Between the needle and the surface? What is the scale (size and voltage)? The rapid evolution looks very surprising.
 
mfb said:
Where is the high voltage applied? Between the needle and the surface? What is the scale (size and voltage)? The rapid evolution looks very surprising.
Indeed, one pole is on the needle, the other is on the plate beneath the oil. We are using voltage (DC) in the range of 8kV+. As far as the scale, my experiement had consisted of a 15cm diameter plate and a M6 4 cm long screw, yielding similar results. I cannot say about the size used in the video, seems to be somewhat similar though.
 

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