Concentrated aqueous alumina nanoparticle suspensions with additions of saccharides such as fructose, glucose, sucrose, and others were studied by rheometry and low temperature differential scanning calorimetry. The shear thinning behavior of the suspensions was used to develop a model based on fractal-type agglomeration which describes the viscosity decrease seen with the addition of these saccharides. The characteristics of particle flocculation were found to depend on the saccharide concentration and type. The developed model is in qualitative agreement with the observed melting behavior and earlier bound water hypothesis as illustrated by sub-zero DSC experiments.

The effect of alumina nanoparticles on the viscosity and curing behavior of a bisphenol E cyanate ester monomer (BECy) suspension was investigated by rheometry as well. The viscosity was found to increase with solids content and was fit well by the Mooney equation. The viscosity reduction achieved at high particle loadings by the addition of benzoic acid was also investigated. NMR experiments indicate that benzoic acid interacts with the alumina particle surface.