One of the most effective ways to comprehend the molecular structure of a material is to measure its frequency-dependent viscoelastic characteristics. A frequency sweep can reveal details about the molecular weight distribution and average molecular weight (crossover frequency) (crossover modulus).

Standard test procedures frequently specify that a single strain and frequency value (0.5°, 1.67 Hz) be used for all materials, yet these are not necessarily the best circumstances for all materials. In the current example, the test material is isothermally cured five times each at each of three deformation amplitudes. The experimental variability is rather wide at the standards of 0.5° and 0.4°. This is because the strains used in these studies are greater than the material’s linear viscoelastic limit. Testing at a lower amplitude (0.3°) yields reliable results with much-increased reproducibility.

NextGen’s RPA Ultra – Advanced Rubber Process Analyzer subroutines are Isothermal, Non-Isothermal, Timed, Temperature Sweep, Strain Sweep, Frequency Sweep, Steady Shear, Relaxation, Hysteresis, Tension Test, LAOS,Matrix Test.

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