Shear-thickening behavior of Aerosil® R816 nanoparticles suspensions in polar organic liquids

We have found in this study, by means of steady and dynamic rheometry, that Aerosil® R816 particles, in which hydroxyl groups have been mostly substituted by alkyls groups, form nonflocculated suspensions in polypropylene glycol, in comparison to what was expected from previous studies. Steady flow curve shows shear-thickening behavior between two shear-thinning regions. The transient rheological response has been analyzed using a protocol proposed a long time ago by Cheng (Rheol Acta 25:542–554, 1986). It has been found that, within the reversible shear-thickening region, all the constant structure curves overlap, which suggests that the response at a certain shear rate does not depend significantly on the previous state. As a consequence, this protocol is proposed as an alternative technique for distinction between flocculated and nonflocculated suspensions.