Flow curves of colloidal dispersions close to the glass transition: Asymptotic scaling laws in a schematic model of mode coupling theory

Abstract

The flow curves, viz. the curves of stationary stress under steady shearing, are obtained close to the glass transition in dense colloidal dispersions using asymptotic expansions in a schematic model of mode coupling theory. The shear thinning of the viscosity in fluid states and the yielding of glassy states is discussed. At the transition between fluid and shear-molten glass, simple and generalized Herschel-Bulkley laws are derived with power law exponents that can be computed for different particle interactions from the equilibrium structure factor.

14 pages, 14 figures, 4 tables, Eur. Phys. J. E (submitted)