Rheopectic behaviour

The behaviour of a rheopectic fluid is the reverse of that of a thixotropic fluid and is illustrated by the broken lines in Figures 3.33 and 3.34. 

Among other characteristics, non-Newtonian fluids exhibit an apparent viscosity that varies with shear rate. Consequently, the determination of the shear stress-shear rate curve must be an initial consideration. Although the apparent viscosity of a thixotropic or a rheopectic fluid changes with the duration of shearing, meaningful measurements may be made if the change is relatively slow. Viscoelastic fluids also exhibit behaviour that is a function of time but their apparent viscosities can be measured provided conditions of steady shearing are obtained. 

If in non-Newtonian liquids the structure of the liquid is destroyed upon increasing y, hysteresis curves are observed as shown in Fig. 1.29. The behaviour of these liquids depends not only on the time of shear but also on the past shear and thermal history. Pseudoplastic liquids of this kind are named thixotropic, and dilatant liquids are referred to as rheopectic. The longer the duration of shear, the stronger is the destruction of the liquid structure, and the longer it takes to restore it. 

Fig. 1.29 Typical behaviour of fluid classes with viscosities depending on time of shear. Left curves thixotropic fluid, right curves rheopectic fluid...

At high particle concentrations, slurries are often non-Newtonian. For non-Newtonian fluids, the relationship between the shear stress and shear rate, which describes the rheology of the slurry, is not linear and/or a certain minimum stress is required before flow begins. The power-law, Bingham plastic and Herschel-Bulkley models are various models used to describe the flow behaviour of slurries in which these other types of relationships between the shear stress and shear rate exist. Although less common, some slurries also display time-dependent flow behaviour. In these cases, the shear stress can decrease with time when the shear rate is maintained constant (thixotropic fluid) or can increase with time when the shear rate is maintained constant (rheopectic fluid). Milk is an example of a non-settling slurry which behaves as a thixotropic liquid. 

When that stress is exceeded, the shear rate grows. Further stress leads finally to linear (Newtonian) behaviour. Examples of plastic systems are chocolate, butter, cheese, various spreads and ice cream. In pseudoplastic systems the observed viscosity decreases with an increase in shear stress. An example of a pseudoplastic system is pudding. Dilatant systems resist deformation more than in proportion to the apphed force. The shear rate is growing much faster than that of Newtonian fluids and viscosity increases with an increase in shear stress. At low apphed forces, the system behaves as a Newtonian fluid. Examples of dilatants systems are honey with added dextran and a slurry of wet beach sand. Thixotropic systems become more fluid (they have lower viscosity) with increasing time of an apphed force. If the apphed force ceases to operate, the original viscosity of the system is restored due to a reversible transformation of the sol gel type. Examples of thixotropic systems are mayonnaise, ketchup, whipped and hardened fats, butter and processed cheeses. Rheopectic systems exhibit behaviour opposite to that of thixotropic systems. Their viscosity increases with increasing time of apphed force. An example is whipped egg white. 

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