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Two colloidal suspensions of paucidisperse, spherical silica particles with different surface chemistries leading to extreme limits of surface contact friction are studied to identify experimental differences in shear rheology and microstructure and quantitatively test theory and simulation models. The nonequilibrium microstructure in the plane of shear is measured by flow-small angle neutron scattering for steady shear states spanning the shear thinning and shear thickening regimes. The shear rheology and microstructure are compared against predictions from theory for Brownian hard sphere suspensions and state-of-the-art simulation methods that incorporate either contact friction or enhanced lubrication hydrodynamics. The first normal stress differences are confirmed to distinguish between these micromechanical mechanisms for stress enhancement in the shear thickened regime. The nonequilibrium microstructure in the plane of shear shows more anisotropy for the suspension with higher interparticle friction. A significant fourfold symmetry is confirmed and found to be amplified with increasing surface contact friction in the shear thickened state. The differences in shear-induced microstructures between suspensions with varying contact friction demonstrate that the nonequilibrium microstructure can distinguish between nanotribological interactions in the shear thickened state. Statistical comparison of experiments with simulations indicates that better resolution of microstructures in simulation models is required to be validated by the experimental data presented. Implications for the development of theories for colloidal suspension rheology are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dense colloidal suspensions are processed in a wide variety of industries. Challenges for pumping suspensions and slurries at high concentrations include shear thickening and dilation, which can have deleterious consequences. These systems are shear sensitive close to the jamming point, meaning that a significant increase in high shear viscosity can be observed with just a few percent change in volume fractions. Therefore, accurate and rapid determination of the jamming point can greatly aid formulation. Typically, conventional rheometry identifies the jamming point by a time-consuming process, whereby multiple flow curves of suspensions of different volume fraction are measured and extrapolated to the volume fraction where the viscosity diverges. We present an alternative approach for rapid, one-step, experimental determination of the jamming point for aqueous suspensions. The procedure monitors the shear stress under constant shear stress or shear rate as the sample is dewatered using immobilization cell rheometry, until the viscosity diverges. The method is validated by comparing the results of this work with conventional rheometry for a model suspension. Then it is applied to examine the effect of grafting a short-chain polymer to particles, comprising an industrial suspension of silica-coated titania. Polymeric coating of the particles increases the jamming concentration and mitigates shear thickening, qualitatively consistent with predictions from simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheological experiments on model and industrial colloidal dispersions that exhibit reversible shear thickening are compared to a recent model that correlates simulation results for the shear rheology of bidisperse suspensions of particles with varying levels of contact friction. Comparisons are presented with rheological results for a variety of colloidal dispersions varying from model systems to industrially relevant, commercial dispersions where both shear and first normal stress differences are available. Particle-scale measurements of particle friction coefficients are provided through a survey of the literature. The comparisons show under which conditions the model can quantitatively describe the measured rheology and how the model can be used to correlate data for systems with more complex interactions when allowances are made for effective volume fractions and adjustments in friction coefficients. Discrepancies evident in comparisons for the first normal stress differences highlight the importance of enhanced hydrodynamic friction in many systems, especially for continuous shear thickening, in qualitative agreement with recent simulations that incorporate enhanced lubrication hydrodynamics due to elastohydrodynamics or particle roughness. Finally, a literature survey of measurements of jamming volume fractions and particle friction coefficients indicates that the model overestimates the experimentally observed jamming volume fraction. The comparisons presented in this work provide quantitative information valuable for those modeling suspension processing as well as suggestions for further model improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]