Practical Rheology & Viscosity Testing (Part 2)

COURSE TYPE: Formulation Essentials

Ideally suited for formulators, QC managers & technicians and process developers with a need to improve their approach to rheology and viscosity testing.

Prerequisite: No previous experience is necessary however an awareness of your current testing methods will be beneficial.

WHAT YOU WILL TAKE AWAY FROM THIS COURSE:

With the range of viscometer and rheometer methods available to the typical lab worker it is little wonder selecting equipment and developing and validating a test method for R&D or QC can be a daunting task. Methods ranging from simple spindle viscometer methods to sophisticated and powerful rheological profiling and characterization are within the reach of most labs now but the wrong choice of test method, or the incorrect interpretation of the results, can render a test virtually useless with costly consequences.

Attendees will get a clear idea on when and how to perform the popular methods available for measuring rheology and viscosity. The presentation will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the various types of rheometers and viscometers on the market today and will introduce the various choices of accessories and test methods available for each instrument.

Typical data of real-life products will be covered, including products Neil Cunningham has tested himself. Case studies on how test methods and equipment can be applied and how this information can benefit the attendee will be shown.

Early Registrants: Submit your specific needs when registering and let Neil Cunningham help you find appropriate solutions.

The following sections will be covered during the session:

1. The needs of industry: research, product development, process design and quality control

2. The Rheologist’s Toolkit: Critical parameters for characterising your products

3. Rheometers and viscometers: the key differences: cost, capability, performance and ease of use
– Controlled stress and “high performance” rheometers
– Brookfield-type spindle viscometers
– Accessories: Cones, plates, cylinders etc

4. Rheology and viscosity test methods: An examination of the pros and cons of procedures for testing suspensions, emulsions, solutions and gels
– Viscosity profiling methods
– Obtaining repeatable and relevant viscosity values
– Quantifying yield stress and thixotropy
– Oscillatory test methods for viscoelastic profiling

5. Tips for buying a rheometer or viscometer

Specific examples of use of the rheometer / viscometer for coatings and cosmetics will also be covered.

In this course real practical examples will be discussed. At the end of the training there will be a Q&A Session where you can pose questions to Neil Cunningham. A transcript of all the questions and answers will be made available after the event.