Plasticizer Effect on Rheological Behaviour of Screen Printing Pastes Based on Barium Titanate Nanopowder

The dependence of rheological behaviour of pastes based on BaTiO₃ nanopowder vs. plasticizer content has been investigated. All pastes prepared for research can be divided into groups by structure types and viscosity. Such a grouping has been explained by different interaction between nanoparticles and binder in the pastes. Particles with molecules of binder form clusters – the representative units in the volume of paste where particles are uniformly distributed. Plasticizer adding effects on binder molecule conformation and change clusters size. Bond strength between clusters can be specified with rheopexy in the area of low shear stress and low strain rates. Rheopexy degree increasing authenticates interaction intensification between clusters. Rheopexy structure destruction leads to separate clusters formation and initiation of the pseudoplastic flow stage. The end of pseudoplastic flow corresponds to structure with clusters assembled into separated layers. Further shear stress increasing leads to inter-clusters bonds appear which can be deformed elastically and the temporary local linkage is possible. Such a phenomenon fully discloses the features of thixotropic structure destruction in plasticized pastes.