Effects of polysaccharides on the rheology of alumina slurries

The rheological behaviors of alumina slurries with polysaccharides having d ifferent concentrations and molecular weights were analyzed. The polysaccha ride molecule absorbs to the surface of alumina powder in an aqueous slurry to give sorbate-mediated steric hindrance. Rheological measurements were u sed to compare the strength of alumina particulate networks. The network st rength of alumina slurry increased at first and decreased later with the in crease of molecular weight of polysaccharides. The network strength of alum ina slurry became weaker with the addition of polysaccharides of low molecu lar weight and stronger with the addition of polysaccharides of higher mole cular weight. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.