What is the effect of temperature on Laponite® viscosity?
Laponite® creates viscosity using a mechanism based upon electrostatic attraction of particles; the strength of these attractions is not affected by changes in temperature. As a result, the viscosity of the Laponite® structure does not change with temperature. However, in a formulated product, the viscosity of other components may change; usually viscosity is lowered as temperature increases. The viscosity of gums and polymers does change significantly as temperature changes. These materials thicken using forms of covalent bonding; such bonds reduce in strength as temperature increases. As a result, the viscosity of systems based upon gums and polymers will reduce as temperature increases.
