The Silica Size and Concentration Dependent Effect of a Halloysite Nanotube Additive on the Rheological Responseof a Nano-silica and Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Shear Thickening Fluid (STF) 

The Silica Size and Concentration Dependent Effect of a Halloysite Nanotube Additive on the Rheological Responseof a Nano-silica and Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Shear Thickening Fluid (STF) 

PROJECT NUMBER: 73 | AUTHOR: Haidyn Ogg​, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

MENTOR: Terry Lowe, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

ABSTRACT

In this study, the effects of a halloysite nanotube additive (30-70 nm d, 1-3 μm l) on the rheological behavior of a polyethylene glycol (PEG) and nano-silica based shear thickening fluid (STF) were examined. STF’s with various silica compositions were created using ultrasonic and evaporation techniques. These fluids were composed with silica sizes characterized as either in-range or out-of-range based on the relationship of the silica diameter with the diameter of the halloysite nanotube. Halloysite nanotube additives were manually mixed into completed STF’s to make samples with up to 10% nanotube. Viscosity profiles of the samples were gathered using both concentric cylinder and parallel-plate rheometer geometry. The profiles suggest the effect of the halloysite nanotube on the rheological behavior of the STF’s is dependent on both silica concentration and size. While most STF additives act in either a lubricating or friction increasing manner, the halloysite nanotube resulted in profiles displaying both characteristics.

PRESENTATION

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Haidyn Ogg is a senior at the Colorado School of Mines pursuing a B.S in Metallurgic and Materials Engineering and a minor in Biomedical Engineering. During her undergraduate career, she conducted research for the MME department as a member of Dr. Terry’ Lowes Transdisciplinary Nanomaterials Research Team. She received an undergraduate research fellowship for research into the effect of a nano-clay additive on the rheological behavior of a silica and PEG based shear thickening fluid. Upon leaving Mines, Haidyn will pursue her doctorate in either bioengineering or biomedical engineering with a research focus in biomaterials and eventually hopes to enter the industry in the research and development of novel biomaterials.