This invention relates to electroviscous (EV) fluids consisting of solid hydrophilic particles dispersed in hydrophobic liquids, where the liquid contains a diaryl derivative component of general formula I …CHEM… in which R is CY2, O, S, SO, SO2, SiF2, or O-SiY2-O, X1 and X2 are halogens, (m+n) is between 1 and 3 on average, and (p+q) is between 0 and 1 on average. EV fluids containing these novel components possess generally improved properties in terms of lower viscosities, electrical conductivities, toxicities and freezing points. In a preferred embodiment, the component is a mixture of brominated diphenyl methanes in which R is CH2 n = 0, X1 = Br, (m+n) is approximately one and (p+q) = 0.
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