Maity, Soumya and Jana, Atanu and Dana, Kausik (2025) Breaking Bonds, Building Flow: A Rheological Tale of Alumina and Montmorillonite. In: International Conference on Research Advancements and Industrial Challenges in Glass and Ceramics (RACGC 2025) , November 27-29, 2025, IIT Bombay, Mumbai. (Submitted)

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Abstract

In this study, two distinct-sized alumina suspensions were used to investigate the influence of particle size and clay addition on suspension behaviour. The first system employed finer alumina (A) with D50 = 1μ, while the second system utilized coarser alumina (S) with D50 = 5μ. To examine the effect of montmorillonite (Mt) clay on the rheological properties of alumina paste, layered silicate was systematically introduced into each alumina suspension at varying proportions. The total solid volume fraction (f =0.45) of the aqueous suspension was maintained at a constant value to ascertain the effect of clay incorporation. This approach facilitates a comparative assessment of how montmorillonite incorporation affects the interparticle interactions, microstructural evolution, and flow behaviour in both fine and coarse alumina systems. Pure alumina suspensions (both A and S) exhibited shear thinning and periodic oscillation effects, Higher viscosities were observed for larger alumina particles. Upon incorporation of clay, sample A demonstrated the steepest decline in viscosity, indicating rapid network breakdown. Incorporation of Mt (f = 0.05, 0.1 and 0.15 respectively for codes 1, 2 and 3) increased the initial viscosity (A1 < A2 < A3 < A), likely due to the formation of their plate-like structure and electrostatic and van der Waals interactions between clay and alumina particles. At higher shear rates, this network disintegrated, leading to a fully dispersed state, suggesting that the addition of Mt enhanced the microstructural interactions and flow resistance at low shear in fine alumina suspensions. The viscosity decreased with increasing shear rate for all samples (S, S1, S2, S3), confirming non-Newtonian pseudoplastic (shear-thinning) behaviour. At low shear rates, the viscosity followed the trend, S1 < S2 < S3 < S, owing to better particle alignment and agglomerate breakdown. At higher shear rates, S1 exhibited a sharper viscosity drop because Mt disrupted the internal network. For S2 and S3, a higher Mt content enhanced the interparticle interaction and viscoelastic structure, thereby increasing viscosity.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Poster)
Subjects:	Refractories
Divisions:	Refractory
Depositing User:	Ms Upasana Sahu
Date Deposited:	12 May 2026 17:02
Last Modified:	12 May 2026 17:02
URI:	https://cgcri.csircentral.net/id/eprint/5811

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