2/4/23, 10:33 AM The Basics of Capillary Rheometry - NETZSCH Analyzing & Testing

2020 The Basics of Capillary Rheometry

11/5/2020 BY MILENA RIEDL

The Basics of Capillary Rheometry

Rheology studies the deformation and flow of fluids. Traditionally, capillary

rheometers have been used to measure the shear viscosity and elasticity of
viscous materials at high shear rates. Learn why you need a capillary
rheometer and what data you can obtain.

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“Rheology studies the deformation and flow of fluids. […] Traditionally, capillary
rheometers have been used to measure the shear viscosity and elasticity of viscous
materials at high shear rates. […] The interest in high shear rates stems from the mode
of deformation a material will undergo in processes like extrusion, film blowing, and
injection molding.” [1]

The responses of a material to deformation or just the environment itself happen on

different time scales. Some processes take years such as physical aging and creep. Other
processes happen in seconds or milliseconds, e.g., impact behavior or shearing and
elongation during processing like extrusion, blow molding and injection molding.

The faster the material’s response, the faster the rate of deformation needs to be. This
is also why rotational rheometers are not suitable for these processes. Their functional
principle is designed to detect changes on the molecular level up to low or medium
deformation. However, capillary rheometers cover the other side of the spectrum –
processes that happen on a fast time scale.

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Figure 1: Influences on the filling of the mold

Why do you need capillary rheometry?

In an injection molding process, for example, the viscosity of the material and the
geometry of the runner and part itself influences the filling of the mold. In turn, these
two parameter influence the shear rates, filling pressure, flow length and even the
clamping force that is needed to keep the mold closed.

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What data can be obtained by means of a capillary rheometer?

■ Melt viscosity

Viscosity can be thought of as the fluidity of a liquid, or how much it resists flow.
Viscosity, η, is expressed as the ratio of shear stress (force per unit area) to the shear rate
(rate change of shear strain). [2]

■ High shear rate behavior

The shear rate is the rate at which a fluid is sheared or deformed during flow. In more
technical terms, it is the rate at which fluid layers move past each other. If someone
quickly rubs a very thin layer of ointment, cream, or lotion on the skin, for example,
then the shear rate is much higher than if that material is slowly squeezed out of its
tube. [3]
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■ Extensional properties

Extensional flow occurs when the material is not in contact with solid boundaries, as is
the case during drawing of filaments, fibers, films, sheets or inflating bubbles.
Converging flows at the inlets of dies are also extensional in nature. [4] Extensional
properties include extensional-strain rate and extensional viscosity.

■ Melt fracture (Flow Instability)

Melt fracture is defined as the phenomenon caused by excessive shear stress exerted on
the molten resin that leads to roughness in the extrudate. [5] It is an undesired surface
effect that can also affect the part properties. Since it occurs at high shear stresses for
the material under investigation, it can be reduced or eliminated by reducing the
throughput.

■ StressRelaxation (Relative)

Stress relaxation is a time-dependent decrease in stress under a constant strain. This

characteristic behavior of the polymer is studied by applying a fixed amount of
deformation to a specimen and measuring the load required to maintain it as a
function of time. [6]

■ Melt strength

Melt strength can be described as the resistance of the polymer melt to stretching. The
melt strength of a material is related to the molecular chain entanglements of the
polymer and its resistance to untangling under strain. The polymer properties affecting
the resistance to untangling are molecular weight, molecular-weight distribution
(MWD) and molecular branching. As each property increases, the melt strength is
improved at low shear rates. [7] It is an important property for successful extrusion of
plastic materials.

■ Die swell

Die swell occurs when a material flows out of the capillary die. One way to explain die
swell is to consider the ability of the polymer melt to remember its flow history. The
idea is to imagine a fluid element moving from the reservoir into a capillary die as a
short, fat cylinder being squeezed into a long, slender cylinder. If the residence time of
the fluid element in the die is shorter than the time of its fading memory (relaxation
time), it will try to return to its original shape and produce the die swell effect. [8]

■ pvT behavior and compressibility

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pvT investigates the relationship between pressure and volume in a material. It further
gives an indication of how compressible a polymer melt is. As polymers are processed at
high temperatures and pressures, the relationship between pressure, volume and
temperature is of great importance.

For what do you need the data from a capillary rheometer?

Other reasons why we need capillary rheometer data: Measure the flow behavior of a
material for quality control and assurance, do processing studies (shear dependency), or
obtain input model parameters for flow simulations. We can study formulations to
assess the effect of fillers, processing aides and production enhancers.

Next week, we will cover the working principle of a capillary rheometer, explain the
characteristic viscosity flow curve and highlight the importance of necessary
corrections.

Read the article here!

Sources:

[1] Dao, T.T., Ye, A.X., Shaito, A.A., Roye, N., Hedman, K. (2009): Capillary Rheometry:
Analysis of Low-Viscosity Fluids, and Viscous Liquids and Melts at High Shear Rates;
retrieved from: https://www.americanlaboratory.com/913-Technical-Articles/557-
Capillary-Rheometry-Analysis-of-Low-Viscosity-Fluids-and-Viscous-Liquids-and-Melts-
at-High-Shear-Rates/

[2]
https://www.dc.engr.scu.edu/cmdoc/dg_doc/develop/process/physics/b3200002.htm

[3] Moonay, D. (2017): What is Shear Rate and Why is it Important?; retrieved from:
https://www.labcompare.com/10-Featured-Articles/338534-What-is-Shear-Rate-and-
Why-is-it-Important/

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[4] Shenoy, A.V. (1999): Rheology of Filled Polymer Systems; retrieved from:
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-015-9213-0_9

[5] Ebnesajjad, S. (2017): Fluoroplastics; retrieved from:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/melt-fracture

[6] Ashter, S.A. (2014): Thermoforming of Single and Multilayer Laminates; retrieved
from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/stress-relaxation

[7] Frankland, J. (2013): Extrusion: Where’s the Data? The Importance of Melt Strength
in Extrusion; retrieved from: https://www.ptonline.com/articles/what-about-melt-
strength

[8] Koopmans, R.J. (1999): Polypropylene; retrieved from:

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-011-4421-6_22

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