Oscillating plate viscometer in the Hz to kHz range

A low and audio frequency viscometer with a frequency range 2 Hz to 1 kHz and possibly up to 10 kHz is described, which shears a liquid sample (shear volume < 0.3 ml) between an oscillating glass plate and the wall of a cuvette. Alternating velocity and force exerted on the oscillating plate are measured by a mechanical impedance head, designed for the frequency range 1 Hz to 10 kHz. This device permits the determination of frequency dependent viscous liquid properties. Real and imaginary part of the complex viscosity can be obtained from the complex mechanical impedance. Inertial forces from the oscillating plate are compensated in an adjustable electronic circuit.Significant shear parameters, as the frequency, the exciting wave form and the amplitude, can be set independently. In this way viscous spectral data and also nonlinear properties can be studied, e.g., in aqueous DNA solutions. In addition, processes with time constants >0.1 s in (relaxing) viscoelastic systems, which do not obey the Boltzmann superposition principle, can be monitored by means of the (nonlinear) modulation of an LF sampling signal. Some examples of measurements will be shown. Model calculations for water and for glycerol give typical values for the complex impedances to be obtained with this oscillatory rheometric device.