A stress-controlled shear cell for small-angle light scattering and microscopy

• DOI: 10.1063/1.4972253
• Publication Date: 2016-12-20T18:00:27Z
• Authors: S. Aime; L. Ramos; J. M. Fromental; G. Prévot; R. Jelinek; L. Cipelletti
• Keywords: 0103 physical sciences; microscopy; Soft Condensed Matter (cond-mat.soft); FOS: Physical sciences; rheology; stress-controlled; custom shear cell; Condensed Matter - Soft Condensed Matter; light scattering; [PHYS.COND.CM-SCM]Physics [physics]/Condensed Matter [cond-mat]/Soft Condensed Matter [cond-mat.soft]; 01 natural sciences

We develop and thoroughly test a stress-controlled, parallel plates shear cell that can be coupled to an optical microscope or small angle light scattering setup, for simultaneous investigation of the rheological properties microscopic structure soft materials under imposed stress. In order minimize friction, is based on air bearing linear stage, stress applied through contactless magnetic actuator, strain measured sensors. discuss contributions inertia residual friction signal demonstrate performance our device in both oscillating step experiments variety viscoelastic materials.