Adding new value to rheometers

with next generation of analysis through “polarization imaging”

This equipment can clarify material properties based on the molecular structure of polymers.

Recently, there is an increasing demand for detailed analysis of the change process of material structure for advanced control of viscoelasticity.

In this page, we will introduce a “structural analysis method using polarization imaging” that combines a rheometer and a high-speed 2D polarization camera to meet these needs.

Polarization high-speed camera for viscoelasticity evaluation

Polarization high-speed camera and rheometer

*The rheometer is a product of Anton Paar
http://go.pardot.com/e/274612/en-products-crysta-pi-5wp-/hf2kn/589101049?h=kjns-AGZYWJ8UlPHU5oOHlQZDrDiY4wlHSject9SrK4

Feature
The high-speed polarization camera can quantify the polarization state in a single shot, and can track instantaneous changes in viscoelasticity due to its high-speed imaging performance.

Capturing instantaneous orientation changes of polymer fluids
http://go.pardot.com/e/274612/en-case-case-853/hf2kr/589101049?h=kjns-AGZYWJ8UlPHU5oOHlQZDrDiY4wlHSject9SrK4
Video: http://go.pardot.com/e/274612/E-8lGrOyjYQ/hf2kv/589101049?h=kjns-AGZYWJ8UlPHU5oOHlQZDrDiY4wlHSject9SrK4

Measurement example – Dynamic structural change of cellulose nanofiber (CNF)
CNF has a three-dimensional network structure, but as shown in the viscosity curve below, it exhibits shear-thinning behavior in which viscosity decreases with shear rate. However, there is a viscosity plateau (green area) around ~10 sec-1.

Viscosity curve of CNF
What kind of structural changes occurred in this plateau?

Looking at the scattering image of SALS (Small Angle Light Scattering) in the figure below, the shape changes from a circle to an ellipse as the shear rate increases. This corresponds to aggregates of fibers oriented in the direction of flow.

According to the orientation of the principal axis of the polarization image, the orientation of the fibers was spatially random before 10 sec-1, but after 10 sec-1 they suddenly oriented in the direction of flow, making them uniform in the radial direction within the channel. This confirms that it changed to a smooth state continuously.

Usually, if the viscosity curve is different from what we expected, we often suspect foreign matter contamination or that the equipment itself is somehow defective. In this study, we were able to gain a deeper understanding of the viscoelastic characteristics of CNFs by capturing instantaneous changes in the orientation of polymer fluids in combination with polarization imaging.

Like any tool, regular cleaning and maintenance will extend the life of your investment as well as helping to reduce the unplanned downtime (which always seems to happen at the worst time!). Blink Technology alongside Photron USA have put together a few preventative maintenance packages which are available to be undertaken at any time.

Maintenance services:

Option 1: Standard cleaning that includes taking apart the camera and cleaning contacts, reseating circuit boards, cleaning the sensor, and replacing any damaged or worn gap pads.

Option 2: Standard cleaning option as well as a firmware upgrade to the latest revision and image quality adjustment.

Option 3: Extensive cleaning that includes all of option 2 as well as cleaning the boards in an ultrasonic cleaner.

Contact us for pricing or more information.

The development of the VIC-3D system continues at a blistering pace. Taking our lead from customer requests and advancing digital technology, the third update in less than a year brings significantly more agile and powerful features to our flagship DIC solution. As systems continue to be shipped around the world and deployed in a wide variety of applications, we are proud to announce the release of VIC-3D Version 9.4 which contains enhancements to marker tracking and point/marker visualization, as well as FFT improvements. The new features include:

• All-new 3D marker tracking visualization in iris 
• Customizable marker/extraction labels with escape codes for inserting data
• PDF export now supports automatic generation of pages for multiple timestep
• Velocity computation in FFT
• New dialog for batch processing with automatic report generation
• Export area FFT data to Universal File Format (UFF)
• Velocity and acceleration calculation for markers
• Visualization of locations and trajectories of extraction points in iris

Environmental conditions today often tend towards extremes. Many areas are very humid and wet, while others are predominantly dry. Particularly in the second case, cultivating raw materials such as grain, beet or maize is a challenge. A challenge that KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA is facing. As part of its plant research, the company uses the VarioCAM® HD head 900 infrared camera from InfraTec to analyse the behaviour of plants during drought stress and pest infestation.

Plants of the Future

Research into the behaviour of plants under drought stress plays a crucial role for future agriculture. This is because the research results provide insights into how adaptable and robust a plant variety is and how it reacts to different temperatures. This, in turn, enables decisions to be made about which varieties will be bred further. In the past, specific statements about plant behaviour under drought stress were limited. But with the help of thermography, scientists now have access to valid measurements that allow them to take new selection options into consideration and develop more robust and resistant plant varieties.

KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA’s work includes multiplying and distributing sugarbeet and corn seed. The company finances basic research and the breeding of the KWS Group’s range of varieties and provides its subsidiaries with new sorts for multiplication and distribution every year.

Ther­mo­graphy for Better Plant Growth and Against Pest Infest­a­tion

But how does an infrared camera help to detect drought stress or pest infestation of a plant? The answer is quite simple: by measuring the leaf temperature. Complementary to visual cameras, the infrared camera provides exact surface temperatures and their distribution on the leaf. This enables conclusions to be drawn about leaf health and robustness as well as plant growth. This is done without contact and, due to the high geometric resolution, allows the recording and evaluation of large areas. What is measured is the heating of the plant during drought stress, which is not visible to humans, in comparison to the previously determined plant temperature under favourable conditions. Light reflected and absorbed by the plants in different wavelength ranges is recorded for this purpose.

For research on pest infestation, such as in the Dataplant project, a special laser is used that emits a beam of infrared light and illuminates the leaf green. At a certain wavelength in the infrared range, infested or diseased leaf areas are heated differently than healthy ones. The VarioCAM® HD head infrared camera from InfraTec is used for the measurement. Its compactness and handy size allow easy integration into mobile measurement set-ups. There the camera measures how the individual leaf areas heat up and transfers the temperature values directly to the control PC. The data can be stored and evaluated on this PC with an associated software.