The dependence of suspension viscosity on particle size, shear rate, and solvent viscosity

The relative viscosity of a mono-disperse suspension of glass particles can vary drastically depending on a number of factors, including but not limited to the angular velocity, the size of particles, the volume fraction of the suspension, and the solvent viscosity of the host. Several models have been proposed in the literature describing the relative viscosity as a function of concentration. This study will use volume concentrations of 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, and 50% with solvent viscosities of 3017-2924 cP ±5 cP, 1265-1211 cP ±3 and 571-555 cP ±1 cP in a concentric cylinder geometry. Suspensions of 26 μm ±3 μm, 36 μm ±3 μm, 51 μm ±4 μm, and 71 μm ±4 μm radii will be sheared at angular velocities of 1.000 rad/s ±0.001 rad/s, 2.000 rad/s ±0.001 rad/s , 3.000 rad/s ±0.001 rad/s, and 4.000 rad/s ±0.001 rad/s. The resulting relative viscosities will be used to study the functional dependence of the fitting parameters in the models proposed by Mooney, Krieger-Dougherty, Batchelor, and Brady on particle size, solvent viscosity, and angular velocity.