Mixture design applied to the rheology of clay gel mixtures

Abstract

We used mixture design to predict rheological parameters, namely the storage and loss modulus $$G'$$ G ′ and $$G''$$ G ′ ′ and the critical stress $$\sigma _{c}$$ σ c , of mixtures of Laponite EP and bentonite clay. Laponite EP is an organically coated laponite displaying unusual rheological behaviour compared to its unmodified form. We examined the effect of salt (magnesium chloride) and of surfactant (Tween 20) varying the pH between 4 and 9. We found reliable complex models with significant higher order terms showing that the rheological behaviour of the gels was not a function of each single compound, but instead the result of multiple interactions. Such interactions had an antagonistic effect on $$G'$$ G ′ and $$G''$$ G ′ ′ . Stronger gels were found at low concentrations of magnesium chloride and Tween 20. The gel stability in response to stress increased with the amount of Tween 20, but decreased with magnesium chloride. Such distinct behaviour may be the result of interactions between the platelet charges and the different components, as well as salting in versus salting out effects. We identified the conditions for which the values of $$G'$$ G ′ were suitable for agrochemical products. The method presented here is a quick and reliable approach to formulate products with targeted rheological properties.

Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Pullulan Composite Hydrogels as a Potential Platform for Wound Dressing Applications

“…Sample 10 did not form a network structure, regardless of the number of applied freezing/thawing cycles. The clay acts as a nanofiller; its addition to the polymer network can improve the rheological, thermal, and barrier properties [38,39], contributing to an extended wall formation, especially for high PVA content (Figure 2). The analysis of SEM images shows that both types of hydrogels present a highly porous structure with interconnected pores.…”