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A simple shear cell for the direct visualization of step-stress deformation in soft materials

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Abstract

We introduce a custom-built stress-controlled shear cell coupled to a confocal microscope for direct visualization of constant-stress shear deformation in soft materials. The torque generator is a cylindrical Taylor–Couette system with a Newtonian fluid between a rotating inner bob and a free-to-move outer cup. A spindle/cone assembly is coaxially coupled to the cup and transfers the torque exerted by the fluid to the sample of interest in a cone-and-plate geometry. We demonstrate the performance of our device in both steady-state and transient experiments with different viscoelastic materials. Our apparatus can conduct unidirectional constant-stress experiments as accurately as most commercial rheometers, with the capability to directly visualize the flow field using tracer particles. Further, our step-stress experiments on viscoelastic materials are devoid of creep ringing, which is an advantageous aspect of our torque generation mechanism. We believe that the device presented here could serve as a powerful and cost-effective tool to investigate the microstructural determinants of nonlinear rheology in complex fluids.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Bharath Rajaram (UC Irvine, currently at TA Instruments), for his contributions and participation in the early parts of this study, and Joe LaCour (KineOptics) and Steve Weinstock (UC Irvine) for their helpful discussions in the design and fabrication of the shear cell. Financial support for this work was provided by a National Science Foundation CAREER Award to AM (CBET 0955241) and a Department of Education GAANN Fellowship to HKC.

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  1. Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA

    Hubert K. Chan & Ali Mohraz

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  1. Hubert K. Chan
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Correspondence to Ali Mohraz.

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Chan, H.K., Mohraz, A. A simple shear cell for the direct visualization of step-stress deformation in soft materials. Rheol Acta 52, 383–394 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-013-0679-5

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