Open Access
Review
Table 3
Comparison of three commonly used additives.
| Additive | Mechanism | Common types | Characteristics |
| Surfactant | Interfacial directional adsorption, reducing interfacial tension and providing electrostatic/spatial potential resistance. Concentrates at the interface and acts on the microscopic interfacial layer. | Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS, anionic type), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB, cationic type), Tween (nonionic type), and phospholipids (amphoteric type) | Stabilization is achieved through chemical interfacial interaction (reduction of interfacial tension, charge modulation), with fast onset of action but poor resistance to extreme conditions. |
| Thixotropic agent | Forming dynamic networks through physical cross-linking, restricting particle movement via mechanical methods, establishing three-dimensional networks throughout the system, acting on the macroscopic scale. | Polymers (e.g., hydroxyethyl cellulose), nanoparticles (e.g., fumed silica), and layered inorganics (e.g., bentonite). | Relying on the dynamic reversibility of the macroscopic network structure, it is suitable for systems where the rheological behavior needs to be regulated (e.g., shear thinning), but the stabilizing effect on nanoscale particles is weak. |
| Nanoparticle | Interfacial adsorption, steric hindrance, electrostatic repulsion, network construction; mainly acts at the interface or uniformly disperses in the matrix to form a “cloud” structure. | Oxides (e.g., SiO2, TiO2, Fe3O4, etc.), carbon-based materials (graphene, carbon nanotubes, etc.), polymer nanoparticles (polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate, etc.), and bio-based nanoparticles (cellulose nanocrystals, chitosan nanoparticles, etc.). | Stabilization is achieved through interfacial physical adsorption and nanoscale steric hindrance, which is especially suitable for harsh environments (e.g., high temperature, high salt) that are difficult to be handled by traditional surfactants, and the interfacial layer has higher mechanical strength. However, the preparation process is more complicated and costly. |
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