Effect of particle modification on the shear thickening behaviors of the suspensions of silica nanoparticles in PEG

A series of shear thickening fluids based on the modified silica nanoparticles by silane coupling agent, stearic acid, and titanate suspended in polyethylene glycol (PEG) were prepared, and the effects of particle modification on the shear thickening behaviors of these fluids were investigated. It can be found that the modification obviously decreases the particle agglomeration, improves the particle dispersion property, and increases the maximum particle concentration in fluid but leads to the reduction of the viscosity and shear thickening effect of the fluids due to the decrease of particle interactions. The modified silica fluids exhibit stronger structural recovery ability and shear thickening reversibility even after multiple shear breakage.