👉 The Franklin fluid, named after Benjamin Franklin's contemporary and friend, John Franklin, is a colloidal suspension of silver nitrate in water. This unique mixture exhibits anomalous properties, such as high viscosity and surface tension, which defy typical colloidal behavior. Unlike other colloids where particles remain dispersed but do not settle, Franklin fluid demonstrates a remarkable tendency to form stable, viscous layers when subjected to shear forces, a phenomenon known as shear thinning. This behavior is attributed to the formation of a network of silver nitrate particles that align and rearrange under stress, reducing internal friction and allowing the fluid to flow more easily. The study of Franklin fluid has provided valuable insights into colloidal science and the complex interactions between particles in concentrated solutions.
