AbstractA novel compressible magnetorheological fluid (CMRF) has been synthesized with additives that provide compressibility to the fluid. This CMRF has been designed to provide an elastic component to a magnetorheological fluid (MRF) that can be used as a springless damper. CMRF provides controllable compressibility to the MRF. The controllability of the fluid is achieved by the use of magnetic particles and an external magnetic field, and the fluid is made compressible by the addition of suspended compressible polymer particles. The compressibility of the fluid has been characterized with force–displacement measurements. This CMRF has controllable off‐state viscosity and high shear yield stress. The incorporation of polymeric particles into the MRF also decreases the settling of iron particles and improves the redispersion of the fluid. To make the fluid more redispersible, the surface of the iron particles is coated with a high‐temperature fluorinated polymer. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010