Abstract
Dependence of the flow behavior of aqueous suspension of Black Hills bentonite on the concentration and the types of electrolytes was stydied. The flow properties were measured with a Couette-type totational viscometer. On addition of monovalent cations, the apparent viscosity determined from the reproducible flow curves (shear rate vs. shear stress) decreased followed by a rise as the ionic concentration further increased. Addition of multivalent cations (di- and tri-) resulted in the viscosity which increased to a maximum then decreased to a constant value. Anions of different chatges produced essentially the same relationship between viscosity and electrolyte concentration. The flow behavior of the electrolyte-containing suspensions was rationalized in terms of the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theory of colloidal stability and the generalized theory of viscosity.