Lecture 3

Rheology, Newtonian law, viscosity,
thixotropy & determination of viscosity
BP 403T
Physical Pharmaceutics-I
Unit 2 (Part-I)
Dr. Prashant Kumar
Associate Professor
Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, Rama university, Kanpur

Rheology
•Rheo – to flow
•logos – science
•Rheology is the study of the flow and deformation of matter
•Rheology is the science/physics that concerns with the flow of
liquids and the deformation of solids under stress.
• Study of flow properties of liquids is important for:
❖ Manufacturing of dosage forms: simple liquids, gels,
ointments, creams, and pastes.
❖Handling of drugs for administration: Storage, packaging and
usage.
IMPORTANCE OF RHEOLOGY
It has Wide application in Manufacturing of dosage forms & Handling of drugs for
administration.
Formulation of emulsions, suspensions, suppositories, and tablet coating.
Formulation of medicinal and cosmetic creams, pastes and lotions.
Fluidity of solutions for injection.
In mixing and flow of materials, their packaging into the containers,
Extrusion of a paste from a tube .
Passage of the liquid to a syringe needle

Newtonian flow or law of Rheology
❖Newton's viscosity law's states that, the shear stress between
adjacent fluid layers is proportional to the velocity gradients
between the two layers.
❖The ratio of shear stress to shear rate is a constant, for a given
temperature and pressure, and is defined as the viscosity or
coefficient of viscosity.
❖F ∝ G or F= ƞ G
❖Where F= Shear Force and G= rate of shear
Viscosity
Viscosity is defined as the resistance in the flow of liquid. It is
also defined as the internal friction between two layers of liquid
which resists the flow of liquid. It is denoted by: (ƞ), also known
as Viscosity coefficient.
Unit: Poise
Kinematic Viscosity
❖It is dependent on the absolute viscosity & density of the

system.
❖It is the ratio of the absolute viscosity of the system (liquid) to
the density of the liquid.
❖Denoted by: ν = μ / ρ
❖Unit Stoke and Centistoke
Factors affecting Viscosity
▪ Size of molecules
▪ Shape of the molecules
▪ Inter-molecular forces
▪ Temperature of the system

Effect of Temperature on Viscosity
❖ As we know viscosity is the magnitude of intermolecular forces

❖ As we increase temp. The kinetic energy is provided to
molecule.
❖ Resulting in random movement of the molecules, generating
higher collision.
❖ The intermolecular force is reduced hence viscosity
reduced
Newtonian and
Non-Newtonian Flows
Rheology
Newtonian Non - Newtonian

Newtonian Flow
• Newton was the first to study the flow properties of
liquids in quantitative terms. Liquids that obey
Newton’s law of flow are called as Newtonian fluids.
F=nG
G
F
Non-Newtonian Flow
• Non - Newtonian bodies are those substances, which
fail to follow Newton's law i.e. liquid & solid ,
heterogeneous dispersions such as colloidal solutions,
emulsions, liquid suspensions and ointments.
They are classified into 3 types of flow:
• Plastic.
• Pseudoplastic.
• Dilatant.
Rheograms of different fluids
Plastic Flow
• The plastic flow curve does
not pass through the origin
& it intersects the shearing
stress axis (or will if the
straight part of the curve is
extrapolated to the axis) at a
particular point referred to
as yield value. (f).
Pseudoplastic Flow
• The curve for a pseudoplastic
material begins at the origin (or
at least approaches it at low
rates of shear).
• The curved rheogram for
pseudoplastic materials is due
to shearing action on the long
chain molecules of materials
such as linear polymers.
Dilatant Flow
• Certain suspensions with a high
percentage of dispersed solids
exhibit an in resistance to flow
with increasing rates of shear.
• Such systems actually increase in
volume when sheared & are called
• dilatant. Dilatant materials "shear
thickening systems."
When the stress is removed, a dilatant
system returns to its original state of
fluidity.
Thixoptopy
It is defined as, isothermal and comparatively slow
recovery on standing of material of a consistency
lost through shearing.
It is shear thinning system, when agitated and kept

aside it is expected to return its original state of
fluidity.
Pharmaceutical Application of Thixotropy
Determination of viscosity
Ostwald Viscometer
• Ostwald viscometer is used to

determine the viscosity of a
Newtonian liquid. Both dynamic
and kinematic viscosities can be
obtained.
Principle: When a liquid flows by gravity, the time
required for the liquid to pass between two marks (E
and F shown in Figure) through a vertical capillary
tube is determined.
Falling SphereViscometer
• The sample & ball are placed in
the inner glass tube & allowed to
reach temperature equilibrium
with the water in the
surrounding constant
temperature jacket.
• It is called as Hoeppler falling
sphere viscometers.
•Procedure: The tube & jacket are then inverted, which effectively places the
ball at the top of the inner glass tube.
• The time for the ball to fall between two marks is accurately measured &
repeated several times.
Construction:
Glass tube position vertically. Constant temperature jacket with Water
circulation around glass tube
Cup and BOB Viscometer
• This is a multipoint viscometer and belongs to the category of rotational
viscometers.
• The sample is placed in the cup and the bob is placed in the cup up-to an appropriate
height.
Working: The test sample is place in space between cup and bob & allow to reach
temperature equilibrium.
A weight is place in hanger and record
the time to make 100 rotations by bob,
convert this data to rpm.
This value represents the shear rate, same procedure repeated by
increasing weight.
•The sample is accommodated between the gap of cup and bob.
• Cup or bob is made to rotate and

the torque is measured by a spring or sensor in the drive of the bob.
Ex. Stormer viscometer
Cone and plate Viscometer
• The sample is placed at the center of the plate which is then raised into
position under the cone.
• Principle: The sample is placed on at the center of the plate, which is raised
into the position under the cone.
• The cone is driven by variable speed motor and sample is sheared in the
narrow gap between stationary plate and rotating cone.
• Rate of shear in rpm is increased & decrease by selector dial and viscous
traction or torque (shearing stress) produced on the cone.
❖The cone is driven by a variable speed motor & the sample is sheared in the
narrow gap between the stationary plate and the rotating cone.
❖The torque is measured by a selector dial.

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Rheology, Newtonian law, viscosity,

thixotropy & determination of viscosity

Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, Rama university, Kanpur

Fluidity of solutions for injection.

In mixing and flow of materials, their packaging into the containers,

Extrusion of a paste from a tube .

Passage of the liquid to a syringe needle

❖It is dependent on the absolute viscosity & density of the

▪ Shape of the molecules

▪ Temperature of the system

❖ As we know viscosity is the magnitude of intermolecular forces

Newtonian Non - Newtonian

It is shear thinning system, when agitated and kept

• Ostwald viscometer is used to

•The sample is accommodated between the gap of cup and bob.

• Cup or bob is made to rotate and

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