A 'pseudoplastic' material is one in which
viscosity decreases with increasing rate of
shear (also termed '''shear thinning'''). This property is found in certain complex solutions, such as
ketchup,
whipped cream,
blood,
paint, and
nail polish. Pseudoplasticity can be demonstrated by the manner in which shaking a bottle of ketchup causes the contents to undergo an unpredictable change in viscosity. The force causes it to go from being thick like honey to flowing like water.
A shear thinning fluid is an example of a
smart material, a class of materials that can respond to changes in the environment.
External links
★
The Great Ketchup Mystery
★
NASAExplores lesson on shear thinning fluids
See also
★
Non-Newtonian fluid
★
Power-law fluid
★
Dilatant
★
Rheology
★
Kaye effect