skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Viscoelastic and rheological behavior of concentrated colloidal suspensions

Journal Article · · International Journal of Thermophysics
 [1];  [2]
  1. Delft Univ. of Technology (Netherlands)
  2. Rockefeller Univ., New York, NY (United States)

Molecular approaches are discussed to the density ({phi}), viscoelastic ({omega}), and rheological ({gamma}) behavior of the viscosity {eta}({phi}, {omega}, {gamma}) of concentrated colloidal suspensions with 0.3 < {phi} < 0.6, where {phi} is the volume fraction, {omega} the applied frequency, and {gamma} the shear rate. These theories are based on the calculation of the pair distribution function P{sub 2}(r; {omega}, {gamma}), where r is the relative position of a pair of colloidal particles. The linear visoelastic behavior {eta}({phi}, {omega}, {gamma} = 0) follows from an equation for P{sub 2}(r, {omega}, {gamma}) derived from the Smoluchowski equation for small {phi}, generalized to large {phi} by introducing the spatial ordering and (cage) diffusion typical for concentrated suspensions. The rheological behavior {eta}({phi}, {omega} = 0, {gamma}) follows from an equation for P{sub 2}(r; {gamma}) of a dense hard-sphere fluid derived from the Liouville equation. This leads to a hard-sphere viscosity {eta}{sup hs}({phi}, {gamma}) which yields the colloidal one {eta}({phi}, {gamma}) by the scaling relation {eta}({phi}, {gamma})/{eta}{sub 0} = {eta}{sup hs}({phi}, {gamma})/{eta}{sub B}, where {eta}{sub 0} is the solvent viscosity, {eta}{sub B} is the dilute hard-sphere (Boltzmann) viscosity, and the {gamma}`s are appropriately scaled. {eta}({phi}, {omega}) and {eta}({phi}, {gamma}) agree well with experiment. A unified theory for {eta}({phi}, {omega}, {gamma}) is clearly needed and pursued.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
FG02-88ER13847
OSTI ID:
50770
Report Number(s):
CONF-940633-; ISSN 0195-928X; TRN: 95:003581-0005
Journal Information:
International Journal of Thermophysics, Vol. 15, Issue 6; Conference: 12. symposium on thermophysical properties, Boulder, CO (United States), 19-24 Jun 1994; Other Information: PBD: Nov 1994
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Square root singularity in the viscosity of neutral collodial suspensions at large frequencies
Journal Article · Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1997 · Journal of Statistical Physics · OSTI ID:50770

Viscosity of colloidal suspensions
Journal Article · Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1997 · Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics · OSTI ID:50770

Abstract model for flow of a two-phase viscoelastic fluid in a tube
Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985 · OSTI ID:50770