Abstract: In order to unveil the rheological properties of suspensions of montmorillonite (MT) and its mixture with sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)/MT,the effects of the mass fraction w of MT,mass ratio R of CMC to MT,electrolyte,pH and experimental temperature on such properties have been systematically studied. When w(MT) was increased from 1.0% to 3.0%,pure MT suspension changed from Newtonianlike fluid to plastic one,and the thixotropic type changed from non-thixotropy to positive thixotropy and then a complex one. For CMC/MT plastic suspension,the increase of R(fixing w(MT)=2.0% in all the systems)would cause the yield value(τ₀) and consistency coefficient (K) to increase as well. The hysteresis loop area(S) increased initially and then decreased,which was accompanied with a synchronous variation of the absolute zeta potential value(|ζ|). The plastic and thixotropic characters of CMC/MT suspension could not be altered by either the electrolytes or experimental temperature investigated. But the yield value τ₀ and consistency coefficient K would increase with the increase of electrolyte (NaCl,MgCl₂ and AlCl₃) concentrations or the decrease of experimental temperature. With the increase of pH value of CMC/MT suspension,its thixotropic type was transformed from negative into positive and the|ζ|incresesd,meanwhile the S firstly increased and then decreased and its maximum value was reached at pH=8.46.