Electrical conductivity Σ, and rheological properties such as apparent viscosity η, storage modulus G', and dynamic viscosity η' for suspensions of carbon black in linseed oil, were investigated at various concentrations of carbon black. The electrical conductivity and shear stress were measured as a function of rate of shear using a modified Couette type viscometer, and the dynamic viscoelastic properties were measured at the frequencies ranging from 10
-2 to 10 rad/sec using a computer controlled rheometer, in which the strain amplitude was held constant throughout the measurement.
Peculiar rheological properties in the suspension of carbon black are attributable to the process of formation and breaking down of the flocculated structure of the dispersed carbon black particles.
In the flow field, Σ and η show the different types of concentration dependence, and their shear rate dependence are also different. η increases exponentially with concentration, especially at low rate of shear. It is presumable that the value of η will diverge, when concentration reaches the critical value and an infinite network structure formed by dispersed particles is built up in the whole system. Electrical conductivity increases exponentially with concentration at the exponent of about 4 above a critical concentration which is much smaller than that for viscosity.
In the concentration region above 5%, the storage modulus measured at small amplitude of oscillatory shear takes an equilibrium value in the low frequency region. The equilibrium value depends on the density of network structure formed by dispersed particles and increases exponentially with concentration above a critical concentration. The magnitude of exponent and critical concentration are the same order as those for electrical conductivity. The process of structural formation seems to be similar to that of gelation and these phenomena can be represented by the percolation theory.
In the flow field, in which the rate of shear is suddenly reduced, Σ and η increase, whereas Σ reaches a maximum and then decreases with reconstructing the structural chains. These phenomena are attributed to the kinetic process of formation and breaking down of flocculated structure. The time profile of the electrical conductivity is correspond to that of the storage modulus after cessation of a large amplitude of oscillatory shear.
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