Hochviskose

Hochviskose refers to fluids with high viscosity, i.e., a high resistance to flow. In rheology, viscosity is the ratio of shear stress to shear rate and is expressed as dynamic viscosity (Pascal seconds) or kinematic viscosity (square meters per second). High-viscosity liquids flow slowly and often exhibit complex flow behavior.

Many high-viscosity liquids are non-Newtonian, meaning their apparent viscosity changes with shear rate. They can be shear-thinning (pseudoplastic) or shear-thickening (dilatant). Temperature strongly affects viscosity: increasing temperature typically lowers viscosity, while cooling raises it. Additives, polymers and colloids can markedly increase viscosity.

Common examples include syrups, molasses, honey, heavy oils, bitumen, and polymer melts. Measuring viscosity uses viscometers such as rotational or capillary devices; results depend on temperature, shear rate, and instrument geometry, so specifications usually state these conditions.

Applications span lubricants and greases, paints and coatings, food products (syrups, concentrates), cosmetics, and drilling or process fluids in industry. In processing, high-viscosity materials may require heating, shear, or specialized pumps and valves to enable handling. Stabilizers or thickeners are used to adjust viscosity to a desired level.

The term Hochviskose is primarily used in German-language technical contexts as a descriptor for liquids with notably high viscosity, and is closely related to the broader concept of rheology and viscosity classifications. Related concepts include Newtonian fluids, non-Newtonian fluids, and shear-dependent behavior.