A comparative study of the effects of cone-plate and parallel-plate geometries on rheological properties under oscillatory shear flow

Abstract

In this study, the effects of cone-plate (C/P) and parallel-plate (P/P) geometries were investigated on the rheological properties of various complex fluids, e.g. single-phase (polymer melts and solutions) and multiphase systems (polymer blend and nanocomposite, and suspension). Small amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) tests were carried out to compare linear rheological responses while nonlinear responses were compared using large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) tests at different frequencies. Moreover, Fourier-transform (FT)-rheology method was used to analyze the nonlinear responses under LAOS flow. Experimental results were compared with predictions obtained by single-point correction and shear rate correction. For all systems, SAOS data measured by C/P and P/P coincide with each other, but results showed discordance between C/P and P/P measurements in the nonlinear regime. For all systems except xanthan gum solutions, first-harmonic moduli were corrected using a single horizontal shift factor, whereas FT rheology-based nonlinear parameters (I(sub3/1), I(sub5/1), Q(sub3), and Q(sub5)) were corrected using vertical shift factors that are well predicted by single-point correction. Xanthan gum solutions exhibited anomalous corrections. Their first-harmonic Fourier moduli were superposed using a horizontal shift factor predicted by shear rate correction applicable to highly shear thinning fluids. The distinguished corrections were observed for FT rheology-based nonlinear parameters. I3/1 and I5/1 were superposed by horizontal shifts, while the other systems displayed vertical shifts of I(sub3/1) and I(sub5/1). Q(sub3) and Q(sub5) of xanthan gum solutions were corrected using both horizontal and vertical shift factors. In particular, the obtained vertical shift factors for Q(sub3) and Q(sub5) were twice as large as predictions made by single-point correction. Such larger values are rationalized by the definitions of Q(sub3) and Q(sub5). These results highlight the significance of horizontal shift corrections in nonlinear oscillatory shear data.