title: How to decrease the viscosity of suspension with the second fluid and nanoparticles?
abstract: According to recent research reports, addition of small amounts of a secondary fluid to a suspension could dramatically increase viscosity of suspension. Results of this study indicate another interesting behavior that the secondary fluid could form a thin hydrophobic membrane around particle surface and significantly decrease the viscosity and yield stress of the suspension. To enhance the surface hydrophobicity, hydrophobic nanoparticles (nano-CaCO3) were added to the hydrophobic membrane of particles to improve the surface roughness, and to generate composite particles having a hierarchical structure similar to the micromorphology of lotus leaf. This composite particle has a higher contact angle, and the suspension of composite particles has a lower viscosity and a lower yield stress.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Coal Gasification and Energy Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 272, No.130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Menghan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Haifeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Weifeng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li