I don't specifically about thixotropism but chemisty is interesting--the more i learn about structure, the more interested i am
carbon (wonderful stuff!) pure carbon can have its molocules aligned one way, and they are collapsed, flattened, and then slide over each other almost like grease(graphite)
aligned an other way at rigid angles and you have a crystal form-- diamonds!
We tend to see solid things as solid-- but on a molecular level, things are not the same..
a classic fun "magic trick" is to take an equal volume of water and alcohol.. (say one cup of each) Use a measuring cup! then pour both liquids into a 2 cup vessel-- You end up with just over 1.5 cups of liquid! (you do need a high proof alcohol, but it can be "denatured" tax free undrinkable stuff!)
Its an amasing trick! the alcohol molocules fit into the empty spaces in the water. Its hard to imagine a solid as dense as water has having empty space.. but it does!
thixotropism is a property of gels and emulsions to become liquid when aggitated or under stress. sort of the opposite of the corn starch water mixture.
