Clay nanosheets (CNSs) of synthetic hectorite have been used for synthesizing advanced functional gels that exhibit high mechanical toughness and many unprecedented characteristics, such as cell harvesting, instant strong adhesion, and self-healing. Upon varying the pH and salt concentration, the aqueous CNS dispersions were found to exhibit a maximum viscosity accompanied by gelation, in addition to large and complex time-dependent viscosity changes in the static state. Such anomalous viscosity dynamics depended on the types of clay and acid (salt), temperature, number of repetitions, and agitation conditions; their mechanisms were also discussed in terms of variations in the CNS microstructures.
- Yuji Kimura
- Shoichi Shimizu
- Kazutoshi Haraguchi
