RHEOLOGY

Rheology – is the study of flow of fluids

& deformation properties of matter
under the influence of stress.
– important role in dispensing &
formulation of various dosage forms
including emulsions, suspensions,
creams, lotions & tablet coatings.
Rheogram – is a plot of shear rate (G)
as a function of shear stress (F).

Viscosity – is an expression of the

resistance of a fluid to flow.
- the higher the viscosity, the
greater is the resistance.
Newton’s law of flow
Rate of shear - the difference of
velocity (dv) between two planes of
liquid separated by the distance (dr).
- also known as Velocity
gradient (denoted by symbol G).
Shearing stress - the force per unit
area (F/A) applied to the top layer to
push the liquid to flow.
Kinematic viscosity – the absolute viscosity
divided by the density of the liquid at a
specific temperature.
- units are stoke(s),
centistokes(cs)
Types of flow & deformation:

1. Newtonian
2. Non-Newtonian
 Newtonian Non-Newtonian

Shows constant viscosity Shows different viscosity

regardless of shear rates values at different shearing
applied at a given rates at a given
temperature temperature

Obeys the Newton’s law Does not obey Newton’s

law

Examples are water, milk Examples are emulsions,

suspensions, ointments
Non-Newtonian

Three classes of flow:

1. Plastic Flow
2. Pseudoplastic Flow
3. Dilatant Flow
A. Plastic Flow
- These are the simplest types of Non-
Newtonian fluids. They differ from Newtonian
fluids only in the linear relationship that they
do not pass through the origin.
- Plastic material does not begin to flow
until a certain shearing stress (yield value) is
exceeded.
B. Pseudoplastic Flow
- referred as shear thinning system
because at increasing shear stress, the
viscosity decreases.
C. Dilatant Flow
- Suspensions containing high
concentration (>40-50%) of small,
deflocculated particles.
Thixotrophy - an isothermal and comparatively
slow recovery, on standing of a material, of a
consistency lost through shearing.
- only exhibits plastic & pseudoplastic
systems.

Hysteresis loop – formed by the upcurves &

downcurves of the rheogram.
Area of hysteresis – measurement of
thixotrophy.
Example of a concentrated aq. Bentonite gel,
10% to 15% by wt., produces a hysterisis loop
w/ a characteristic bulge in the upcurve.
Example is Procaine penicilline gel for IM inj.
This structure demonstrates a high yield or
spur value that traces out a bowed upcurve
when the 3D structure breaks in the
viscometer.
Negative thixotrphy – also known as antithixotrphy.
- represents an increase rather than a decrease in
consistency on the down curve.

The difference between dilatancy and rheopexy.

Dilatant systems - are deflocculated and ordinarily
contain greater than 50% by volume of solid dispersed
phase, whereas antithixotropic systems have low solids
content(1%—10%) and are focculated.
Rheopexy – phenomenon in w/c a solid forms a gel more
readily when gently shaken or otherwise sheared than
when allowed to form gel while the material is kept at
rest.