Structural Causes of the Non-Newtonian Behavior of Fluid Systems

Abstract

This review considers the well-known results of rheological studies, first of all, the viscosity and flow curves of various dispersed and polymer systems. The existing explanations of the causes of non-Newtonian flow are presented. Various rheological models are described, in which a change in viscosity is associated with a change in the structure of a substance. The new structural rheological model proposed by us is a generalization of the Casson and Cross rheological models. Its scope includes various structured systems: suspensions, emulsions, polymer solutions and melts, micellar solutions, and liquid crystals. Our attention was focused on the features of the stationary shear flow of non-Newtonian systems.