Q: "What is the difference between Newtonian viscosities and thixotropic viscosities? How would that impact my application?"
A: Newtonian products are materials which have the same viscosity even under different shear rates. Water, milk, and mineral oil are examples of common Newtonian materials. Thixotropic materials on the other hand will flow when a shear force is put onto the material (like squeezing a tube of toothpaste), but when the force is removed, the material will not flow. A Newtonian material might be used to pot an application or fill a cavity, while a thixotropic adhesive might be used to dispense a bead along a molded ridge.
