The shear dependence of the methylcellulose gelation phenomena in aqueous solution and in ceramic paste

Abstract

The gelation temperature of methylcellulose (MC) in aqueous solutions as well as in aqueous ceramic paste depends on the applied shear. Rheological investigations in oscillation vs. shear mode show lower gelation temperature at low shear rates as for the corresponding angular frequencies. Above a critical shear rate the gelation temperature is shifted to higher temperatures. The paste extrusion process uses MC as a plasticizer and runs under high shear conditions. When extruding close to the gelation temperature of the MC in the paste, crack formation and other defects can occur. The upwards shift of the gelation temperature with increasing applied shear gives a larger temperature window during the extrusion process. The understanding of the shear influence on the gelation temperature is important to design the optimal process conditions.

Keywords: Ceramic extrusion; Gelation temperature; Methylcellulose; Thermal gelation.