RheologyPart1-ssunanotraining.org.pptVIP

Thixotropy Plotting a flow curve of a non-Newtonian liquid not possessing a yield value with a uniformly increasing shear rate -- the “up-curve” --, one will find that the “down-curve” plotted with uniformly decreasing shear rates will just be superimposed on the “up-curve”: they are just on top of each other or one sees one curve only. Thixotropy Thixotropy It is typical for many dispersions that they not only show this potential for orientation but additionally for a time-related particle/molecule-interaction. This will lead to bonds creating a three-dimensional network structure which is often called a “gel”. In comparison to the forces within particles or molecules, these bonds -- they are often hydrogen or ionic bonds -- are relatively weak: they rupture easily, when the dispersion is subjected to shear over an extended period of time (Fig. 9). Thixotropy When the network is disrupted the viscosity drops with shear time until it asymptotically reaches the lowest possible level for a given constant shear rate. This minimum viscosity level describes the “sol”-status of the dispersion. A thixotropic liquid is defined by it’s potential to have it’s gel structure reformed, whenever the substance is allowed to rest for an extended period of time. The change of a gel to a sol and of a sol to a gel is reproducible any number of times. Thixotropy Thixotropy Fig. 10 describes thixotropy in graphical form. In the flow curve the “up-curve” is no longer directly underneath the “down-curve”. The hysteresis now encountered between these two curves surrounds an area “A” that defines the magnitude of this property called thixotropy. This area has the dimension of “energy” related to the volume of the sample sheared which indicates that energy is required to break down the thixotropic structure Thixotropy For the same shear rate there are now two different points I and II. These two viscosity values are caused by a shear history at I being much shorter than at II. If it