Rheology of sterically stabilized dispersions and latices

Steric stabilization is a method that is often used to properly disperse small particles. It can be applied in aqueous as well as non-aqueous media. The rheological properties of sterically stabilized dispersions are discussed here. The various controlling parameters and the physical mechanisms involved are reviewed. Brownian hard spheres are used as a reference. Scaling relations are presented that make it possible to reduce data sets and to predict properties. Viscosity, yield stress, shear thickening and viscoelasticity are included. The rheological properties are also related to the fundamental colloidal properties of the dispersions under consideration. Quantitative results are available for monodisperse spherical particles, although the effects of particle size distribution can sometimes be predicted also quite well. In other cases the procedures presented here can be used qualitatively to predict viscosities. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.