Rheological Behavior of Polysaccharide Hydrogels of Alginate Reinforced by a Small Amount of Halloysite Nanotubes for Extrusion 3D Printing

Abstract

The rheological properties of hydrogels of a natural polysaccharide sodium alginate and small amount of clay nanotubes of halloysite were investigated. Changes of rheological properties during the transition from a semidiluted polymer solution to a hydrogel upon cross-linking by calcium ions were shown. In the gel state, the samples have a yield stress, and their viscosity decreases with the shear rate, but the properties are quickly recovered after the load removal. It was discovered that the addition of up to 0.3 vol % nanotubes of natural clay halloysite leads to an increase by several times of a storage modulus and a yield stress of the hydrogels. At the same time, the practically important properties of shear thinning and the rapid recovery of properties after the load removing make the nanocomposite hydrogels of alginate and halloysite nanotubes promising for use as ink for extrusion 3D printing.