Experimental evaluation of impact energy on oobleck material (non-Newtonian fluid)

Abstract

Non-Newtonian fluids especially shear thickening fluids like oobleck behave like a solid when subjected to impact loads and remains as a liquid when the loading is gradual and smooth. Shear thickening fluids are also known as dilatant fluids; they do not have linear shear stress versus shear rate relation. One of the examples of dilatant fluid is oobleck can be easily made by making a 2:1 mixture of corn flour and water. It is a liquid, but when stirred it becomes thicker and more difficult to stir. It has got good shock absorption capacity which could be used in many real-world applications such as inner shoe soles, body, and speed bumpers. An attempt is made to study the behaviour of oobleck under impact loading. By performing drop weight tests and depicting the trends of oobleck thickness versus impact energy and determining the fracture points of oobleck as well as materials wrapped inside it. In future directions, part of the report applications of oobleck is prescribed such as usage in packaging materials, fabrication in a safety gear like kneepad, forearm pad, etc.