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Shear-Thickening (Dilatancy)

1885
  • Osborne Reynolds
Researcher demonstrating shear-thickening behavior of cornstarch-water mixture in mechanics.

(generated image for illustration only)

Shear-thickening, or dilatancy, is a non-Newtonian behavior where viscosity increases with the rate of shear stress. A classic example is a suspension of cornstarch in water (oobleck), which feels liquid when stirred slowly but becomes almost solid when struck or stirred rapidly. This phenomenon is caused by the jamming of suspended particles under high shear.

The mechanism behind shear-thickening in concentrated suspensions is often attributed to hydroclustering and jamming. At low shear rates, the suspended particles are lubricated by the surrounding liquid and can move past each other relatively easily. As the shear rate increases, the particles are forced closer together. The lubricating layer of fluid between them thins, and strong, short-range hydrodynamic forces cause the particles to form transient clusters, or ‘hydroclusters’.

At a critical shear rate, these hydroclusters can percolate across the system, forming a rigid, stress-bearing network that spans the fluid. This transition from a flowing state to a jammed, solid-like state is what causes the dramatic increase in viscosity. This process is reversible; when the high shear stress is removed, the particle network breaks apart, and the material returns to its fluid state. This property is exploited in technologies like liquid body armor, where a flexible material containing a shear-thickening fluid instantly becomes rigid upon the high-speed impact of a projectile, dissipating the energy and protecting the wearer.

UNESCO Nomenclature: 2210
– Mechanics

Type

Physical Property

Disruption

Substantial

Usage

Niche/Specialized

Precursors

  • Observations of the behavior of wet sand by Osborne Reynolds
  • Studies of concentrated colloidal suspensions
  • Development of rheometers to study high-shear phenomena

Applications

  • liquid body armor (e.g., d3o) that hardens on impact
  • traction control systems where fluid thickens to lock a differential
  • pot-hole filling materials that flow into cracks but harden under traffic pressure
  • protective gear for sports
  • seismic dampers for buildings

Patents:

  • US7226878B2
  • US7381467B2

Potential Innovations Ideas

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Related to: shear-thickening, dilatant, oobleck, cornstarch, viscosity, rheology, liquid body armor, jamming.

Historical Context

Shear-Thickening (Dilatancy)

1880
1882-01-01
1884
1885
1887
1889
1890
1880
1882-01-01
1883
1884
1887
1888
1889
1890

(if date is unknown or not relevant, e.g. "fluid mechanics", a rounded estimation of its notable emergence is provided)

Related Invention, Innovation & Technical Principles

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