Using PEG and IPDI synthesis pre-polymers，glycerol and TMP used as chain extender，and the hexadecanol used as end-capping reagent，the star type waterborne polyurethane associative thickener(SHEUR) was prepared. FI-IR and GPC was used to characterize the molecular structure of the SHEUR. The viscosity of SHEUR water solution, the emulsion thickened by SHEUR and the rheological property of SHEUR aqueous solution，the effects of thickener on the thickening properties of different structures were studied by NDJ-8s viscometer and Gemini-HR Nano rotational rheometer. The experimental result indicated that the effect of star type structure of HEUR is much better than linear HEUR，add 1% of thickener to acrylic emulsion, it＇s viscosity increased to 61440 mPa· s , which thickened by SHEUR ,while by LHEUR is just 202 mPa· s. At low shear rate , the viscosity of SHEUR is kept high standard. When shear rate is greater than 100s-1, SHEUR will appear shear-thinning phenomenon. The research of rheologybehavior and grain size after thickened has proved that the synthetic SHEUR has good thixotropy.