Non-Newtonian Fluids: Silly Putty

You answered a few questions regarding non-newtonian materials. One of the best examples of a non-newtonian material is silly putty. If you try and slam it against a wall, it bounces back, but set it on a desk and it will settle out into a pile. By the way, silly putty is used commercially to debur extremely small orifices such as fuel injectors. The putty can be impregnated with diamond paste and then flowed through the small passage ways under high pressure but at a slow rate. Reduce the pressure and the flow rate increases. Love your site, Michael Spitzer
- Michael Spitzer (age 32)
Engineer, Greenville, SC

Thanks! We always appreciate new information.

(published on 10/22/2007)