Using the optical shearing cell, it is possible to study the microstructure evolution of complex fluids in great details for many physical processes, e.g. coarsening of binary fluids during their phase separations, flow-induced mixing and demixing of polymer blends, flow-induced crystallization of polymers etc.

Instrument type: CSS450, Linkam / Olympus BX53

Temperature range: ambient to 450°C (-50 to 450°C on Cryo CSS450)

Sample area: 30mm Ø

Micro-stepped stepper motor allows 25,000 steps per rev.

Gap setting between 5 and 2500 µm

Three modes of operation: oscillatory, step & steady

Temperature rates of between 0.01°C to 30°C/min

Observation radius 7.5mm Ø, viewing area 2.8mm Ø

Temperature stability +/-0.2°C