The Linkam Optical Shearing System (CSS450) allows the structural dynamics of complex fluids to be directly observed via a standard optical microscope while they are under precisely controlled temperature and various shear modes.
Using the optical shearing cell, it is possible to study the microstructure evolution of complex fluids in detail for many physical processes such as the coarsening of binary fluids during their phase separations, flow-induced mixing and demixing of polymer blends, defects dynamics of liquid crystals and the aggregation of red blood cells and their deformation in flows. We are then in a good position to correlate micro structural dynamics with rheological data for gaining insight into rheology of complex fluids.
Temperature range ambient to 450°C (-50°C to 450°C on Cryo CSS450)
Computer control using LINK
Sample area 30mm Ø
Gap setting between 5 and 2500 µm, 1 µm increments
Four modes of operation; oscillatory, step, steady & relax
100 Ohm platinum resistor
Removable lid for easy sample loading & cleaning
Fixes to most microscopes using stage clamps
Temperature rates of between 0.01°C to 60°C/min
Silver heating blocks for high thermal conductivity
Observation diameter 7.5mm Ø, viewing area 2.8mm Ø
Sample mounted on quartz window
Temperature stability <0.1°C
Designed for use with the LINK image capture system
Velocity, amplitude & frequency can be set before run
Data can be saved to spreadsheet
Changeable speed of gap setting of 1 to 300um/s
Suitable for phase contrast, transmitted and polarised light
Objective lens minimum working distance 7.4mm
Condenser lens minimum working distance 15mm