RHEOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR OF MODERATELY CONCENTRATED SILICA SUSPENSIONS IN THE PRESENCE OF ADSORBED POLY(ETHYLENE OXIDE)

Adsorption and flocculation properties have been investigated for a well-characterized aqueous system of precipitated nanometric silicabeads in the presence of a high molecular-weight poly(ethylene oxide). Particular attention was given to the evolution of these properties with increasing concentration. In addition, the corresponding consequences on the rheological behavior in the homogeneous domains of the phase diagram of the systems were studied. Important rheological effects can actually be obtained with such systems, even at moderate values of the volume fraction of the dispersed phase (5 . 10(-3) less-than-or-equal-to PHI less-than-or-equal-to 5 . 10(-2)). According to the adsorption level, the number of particles per macromolecular chain, and the free polymer equilibrium concentration, quite different phenomena were observed such as rheopectic shear-induced gelation, Newtonian flow or thixotropic shear-thinning.