What to expect from a rheology measurement service laboratory?

You are looking for a laboratory provider in rheology for your emulsions, gels, powder, resin or other suspension?

You will find a number of them, both public and private; but beware, rheology often makes people disappointed. Here are some recommendations and points for reflection to assist you in your efforts.

Do you really want a viscosity measurement?

Realizing the limitations of measuring viscosity of the Brookfield type, often unable to distinguish products with concrete behaviors that are nevertheless significantly different, many industrial players request viscosity measurements on a rheometer, thinking of finding immediate answers to their outstanding questions.

If the challenge is to better distinguish between products, it is reasonable to nourish such hopes: the realization of a flow curve on a rheometer is often able to differentiate without ambiguity indistinguishable products in viscometry.

However, the common problem is that distinguishing products is not enough to understand their concrete behavioral differences. Worse: some differences in behavior may prove to be inconsistent with empirical observations. Thus, many actors find themselves with data that they do not know what to do with. Some even go so far as to conclude that “rheology doesn't work”.

The importance of the concrete operating context

We never look for rheological measurement without an underlying concrete problem.

From our experience, the surest way to determine the most appropriate measurement approaches when faced with a concrete problem is to analyze the phenomena involved in the concrete context. Couplings between materials, formulation, process, equipment, application are generally complex, highly sensitive (non-linear in more scientific language). An approximate analysis most often leads to inconclusive results and from which it is difficult to extract concrete actions.

Going beyond rheology to address industrial issues

More than ten years of advanced practice of rheology have shown us that a considerable number of concrete problems require going beyond the strict framework of rheology, in the analysis of the problem as well as in the experimental approaches.

Whether it is a question of mobilizing approaches relating to fluid mechanics, the physics of interfaces, physico-chemistry, thermomechanical processes, tribology, it is above all the analysis of phenomena which must guide the approaches , from the design of the studies to the interpretation of the results.

The importance of industrial consulting

The main frustration that disappointed users of rheology share with us concerns the ability of service providers to extract operational keys from the measurement or study process.

Adequate interpretation of the curves is one aspect of this, the ability to draw practical recommendations from them in terms of formulation, processing, control of influencing factors, predictive methods, is no less essential.

If you want to know more, do not hesitate to consult our various articles in the Documentation section.

We are also at your disposal to answer your questions.