A rheometer measures viscoelastic properties of materials, including yield stress, viscosity, and modulus. It is used in road construction, pharmaceuticals, food, and medical fields. It can predict pavement performance, product shelf life, and even measure the force required to destroy bacteria.
A rheometer is a type of viscometer that measures the viscoelastic properties of materials beyond just viscosity. Rheology is the flow of fluids and the deformation of solids subjected to various types of stress and strain. This tool then measures material behavior such as yield stress, kinetic properties, complex viscosity, modulus, creep, and recovery.
Most rheometer models belong to three specific categories: rotational, capillary or extensional. The most commonly used of these is the rotational rheometer, which is also called the stress/strain rheometer, followed by the capillary type.
The rheometer has become important in road construction and maintenance. Measuring the rheology of asphalt binders helps predict pavement performance over time as it is affected by changing weather and traffic conditions. In 1993, the US government introduced the measurement of rheological properties to the pavement industry when it funded the Strategic Highway Research Program. This program has led to a broader industry understanding of the use of rheological properties to improve the performance qualities of asphalt binder.
This instrument is also used to measure the rheology of semisolids, suspensions, emulsions and polymers in industries such as pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic and consumer products. These measurements can help predict the shelf life of products under various stress conditions. Also, it can be used in the medical field. In 1999, the elasticity and fracture strain of blood clots were measured at the Institute of Hydrodynamics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, using a rotational rheometer with a controlled stress system. The results indicated a decrease in elasticity and an increase in fracture tension in blood clots as the hematocrit increased.
A surprising application of the tool can be found in a 1999 experiment that took place at the University of Nottingham in the UK. In this experiment, a rheometer and twin-screw extruder were used to determine the force required to destroy a heat-resistant vegetative bacterial species, Microbacterium lacitum. This experiment has many promising applications in medicine.
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