Thixotropy of Aqueous Suspensions Containing Mg‐Al Hydrotalcite‐like Compound and Low‐substituted Cationic Starch: Comparison between Oscillatory Shear and Thixotropic Loop Measurements

The rheological properties of aqueous suspensions consisting of positively charged aluminum magnesium hydrotalcite‐like compound (HTlc) and low‐substituted cationic starch (LCS) were investigated. Special emphasis was placed on the thixotropic phenomenon. Thixotropic behavior was investigated by two thixotropic methods: thixotropic loop and oscillatory shear measurements. LCS molecules could be adsorbed onto HTlc particles due to the hydrogen bonding between ether groups or hydroxyl groups of LCS and hydroxyl groups of HTlc. The elastic dynamic response of the HTlc/LCS suspension increased with increasing mass ratio (R) of HTlc and a three‐dimensional network structure could be formed in the suspension with higher R value. The thixotropic type of the HTlc/LCS suspension transformed from negative to positive and then to complex thixotropy when R changed from 0 to 0.5. By comparing between the thixotropic results obtained by thixotropic loop and oscillatory shear measurements, it was validated that the thixotropic loop for the suspension showing complex thixotropy had a crossover point.