Our Capabilities
Rheological Properties
Characterisation of polymer, liquid and adhesive samples over a wide variety of shear and extensional conditions.
Methods
- Polymer processing, shear and extensional hot melt rheology.
- Capillary Rheometer
- Rotational Rheometer
- Coming soon! Instrumented injection moulding
Applications of Rheology
Design data for flow filing simulation.
- Caplillary rheometer - Polymers and viscous fluids up to 400°C.
- Shear / extensional viscosity curves - infers comparative molecular weight, MWD and polymer chain structure.
- Extrudate appearance - stress at onset of melt fracture, trapped volatiles etc.
- Direct measurement of die swell properties.
- Wall Slip measurements.
- Melt stability.
- Metal contact effects (via GPC).
- Injection moulding / Extrusion -Surface finish, mould filling, flashing, clamping pressure, weld lines, sink marks, warpage.
- Tapes, Films, Fibres, Blow moulding -Surface finish, fibre breakage, excessive draw, melt strength, edge curl, shrinkage, fibre coalescence, splitting, uneven width / thickness, bubble breaks, die drool.
Rotational rheometer - Polymer melts, viscous fluids, dispersions, emulsions etc from ambient to 400°C.
- Very low shear rate analyses provide information on molecular weight.
- Gelation times can be determined for a wide range of materials, including epoxy resins and adhesives.
- Melt Stability in air or nitrogen atmosphere and/or against a range of metal surfaces.
- Effect of temperature on flow properties at fixed deformation rates.
- Thixotropy through controlled stress measurements of structured fluids.
- Yield stress, recovery, thixotropy, flocculation of multi-phase systems.
- Prediction of polymer melt processing behaviours e.g.
- Surface finish, weld lines, sink marks, warpage. fibre breakage, excessive draw, melt strength, edge curl, shrinkage, fibre coalescence, splitting, uneven width / thickness, bubble breaks, die drool.
- Gel Point Determination, Relaxation behaviours, Time/temperature dependency of Thermosetting,Thermoplastic and adhesive materials
The MSG advantage
- Small scale polymer processing kit that can handle as little as 50g of sample.
- Bench top twin screw extruder (hopper volume 15cm 3) is able to compound/blend samples at temperatures up to 350°C.
- A haul off facility enables lace samples to be collected prior to cutting/pelletisation etc.
- The bench top injection moulding machine (also capable of operating up to 350°C) can then be used to mould samples of varying geometries including ASTM/DIN test pieces.
- Projects combined with other teams in MSG
Advice is available, so make the call +44 (0) 1642 435788 or email MSGenquiry@intertek.com
