Certain non-Newtonian colloidal gels, such as classic ferric hydroxide gels and modern commercial paints, undergo a severe viscosity drop to essentially liquefy and form a fluid sol when mechanically

Question

Certain non-Newtonian colloidal gels, such as classic ferric hydroxide gels and modern commercial paints, undergo a severe viscosity drop to essentially liquefy and form a fluid sol when mechanically agitated, but they spontaneously reset back into a semi-rigid gel when entirely allowed to stand. What is this completely reversible isothermal sol-gel transformation explicitly named?

Prashant Kotian · Accepted Answer

Correct answer: D. Thixotropy is the unique, highly specific rheological property where a semi-rigid gel reversibly transforms into a highly fluid sol under the strict application of mechanical shear stress (such as shaking or stirring) and reversibly sets entirely back into a solid-like gel state when the external shear is fully removed.

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