After the mortar is mixed with water, the layered swelling silicate in the thixotropic lubricant can form a gel due to the presence of an aqueous medium, which improves the basic viscosity of the system. Due to the formation of the card house structure, the flow of the mortar is improved, which is represented by the yield value in rheology. The formation of the yield value can improve the stability of the mortar, that is, it can overcome the negative effects of sag or agglomeration of the mortar during construction, so it can be used for the construction of thick mortar. The formation of the yield value can also significantly improve the storage durability of the paste mortar and the precipitation resistance of the self-leveling system. It can prevent the precipitation of additives and pigments and can inhibit bleeding.
When the mortar is being pumped, stirred or scraped, a slight increase in shear force is sufficient to overcome the yield value. The card house structure is reversibly destroyed. Due to the flake structure of the silicate itself, it acts as a lubricant in the mortar, reducing the relative viscosity and improving the workability of the mortar.
The thixotropic lubricant has a large surface area and can absorb a lot of water. Although it cannot retain water as effectively as cellulose ether, it can appropriately increase the water requirement of the material, and can be used with cellulose ether to assist in water retention.
The thixotropic lubricant increases the yield value of the material and therefore can improve stability. At the same time, in the process of construction, due to the presence of shear force, the relative viscosity of the material is reduced, thereby significantly improving the workability of the material.