This paper, which builds upon the results of a previously reported preliminary study [@Huneault2018], will examine the effect of viscosity and strain rate on the spall strength of a set of silicone oils which have vastly different viscosities, but otherwise similar material properties. The experiments will focus on observing the relationship between the measured spall strength and the liquid properties or loading characteristics. The results will be compared to existing models for the limiting tension of liquids, in order to offer insight into the mechanism of cavitation nucleation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS {#mandm}
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Materials
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This study will examine the spall behavior of a set of three polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) silicone oils, sourced from Clearco Products Co., with dynamic viscosities ($\eta$) that span over two orders of magnitude, but otherwise similar material properties (density ($\rho$), speed of sound ($c_0$), surface tension ($\sigma$), and bulk modulus ($K$)). The relevant material properties for the three fluids can be seen in Tab. \[table1\], where the oils have been identified by their nominal kinematic viscosity in Stokes (St). As can be seen from the molecular weight ($M$) values in Tab. \[table1\], the difference in viscosity between the oils is due to a variation in the 