The Rheology of Kaolinite suspensions

Abstract

The rheological properties of constant volume concentration kaolinite suspensions were measured and compared with ζ-potential measurements already made. The correlation is good and the results are interpreted on the basis of the existence of both positive and negative areas on the clay surfaces linking the particles together in " bipolar " flocculation ; these floccules uncoil with increasing neutralization of the H-clay, then at the equivalence point the positive areas are neutralized, the clay suspension deflocculated and the viscosity considerably reduced.