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Modular torque rheometers

Flexible solutions for advanced material development and quality control of polymers, ceramics, and innovative materials

Flexible characterization during mixing and compounding is essential to meet the ever-changing requirements of end markets, internal changes, and external regulations.

 

Combining multiple instrument functions in a single system
(e.g., mixing, characterization, etc.) allows you to replicate large-scale production processes at the lab scale. This can save space, materials, and time while you evaluate processes and develop new formulations.


What is a torque rheometer?

A torque rheometer is a highly modular measuring, mixing, and extrusion system for material development, process development, and quality control. Process-relevant material data for product and process development can easily be obtained, including melting behavior, influence of additives, temperature stability, shear stability, melt viscosity, and more. 


HAAKE PolyLab Torque Rheometer System

The flexible Thermo Scientific HAAKE PolyLab Torque Rheometer enables a range of material development tasks with just one instrument, saving time and investment costs. Interchangeable processing units can be attached in seconds to the proven drive and measuring unit. Additionally, the entire instrument is controlled by intuitive software. 

  • Choose between benchtop or movable floor-standing drive and measuring units to serve your specific application needs, from material development to QC of polymers, ceramics, and innovative materials.
  • Modular plug-and-play concept switches between different processing devices, such as batch mixers, single screw extruders, or conical/parallel twin-screw compounders.
  • Lab-scale measuring devices can work with small sample volumes, saving material cost and time in order to produce and characterize more samples in less time.
  • Perform rheological testing solutions under process-relevant conditions. The same system can be used to compound new materials and, with just a few set-up changes, test those same materials for relevant properties.
  • A unified software platform across all applications ensures failure-free operation.
  • Simulate different production processes with a broad range of downstream equipment.

HAAKE PolyLab RheoDrive Systems

Thermo Scientific HAAKE PolyLab RheoDrive Systems are the basic drive unit for the instrument, available as tabletop and mobile stand-alone versions. They contain all the elements of a torque rheometer that are required to drive the instrument’s measuring systems and to monitor torque during material processing and testing.


Measuring systems for HAAKE PolyLab Torque Rheometers

All measuring systems of the HAAKE PolyLab System can be quickly connected to the RheoDrive System with “plug and measure” functionality, and are equipped with specialized measuring, control, and evaluation technology.


Measuring mixers for HAAKE PolyLab Systems

Thermo Scientific HAAKE PolyLab Rheomix Laboratory Measuring Mixers can help characterize a material’s response to shear energy and temperature in order to describe its melting, degradation, plastification, flow, and curing behavior. They can also be used to produce small batches of new materials.


Extruders for HAAKE PolyLab Systems

Thermo Scientific HAAKE PoyLab Rheomex Laboratory Extruders are available as single, parallel twin-screw, and conical twin-screw extruders for compounding and processing of polymers as well as rheological characterization. 

Single-screw extruders for HAAKE PolyLab Systems

Different single-screw extruders are available to serve a broad range of applications from polyolefins to thermoplastics and rubbers. A range of up- and down-stream accessories serve applications such as cast films, blown films, strandlines, or capillary rheology measurements.

Twin Screw Extruders for HAAKE PolyLab Systems

The unique modular design of the Thermo Scientific HAAKE PolyLab Twin-screw Compounder delivers comparable results to its production-scale sibling while offering lab-scale size and requiring only a fraction of the time and material to get results. It has a split-barrel design, where the top half can lift upwards, to easily study new formulations. With a wide range of up- and down-stream accessories, as well as a modular screw design for parallel twin-screws, this torque rheometer set-up is useful for a variety of R&D processes from compounding, to processing, to characterization of new formulations.


Rheological characterization with HAAKE PolyLab Torque Rheometers

HAAKE PolyLab Systems allow for rheological testing under process-relevant conditions. Different capillary dies are available depending on the material to be tested and the desired shear rate range; these enable reliable determination of rheological behavior. This is of prime importance for machine and tool design, as well as the optimization of final products.


Polymer materials and other fluids such as ceramic masses are not generally processed into end products in their purest forms. More often, processing additives, pigments, fillers, and modifiers are added to the original material to give the end-product its desired characteristics. Apart from these additives, the molecular weight and distribution also significantly influence the flow characteristics of the polymer.

Typical tests determine:

  • The flow characteristics at differing processing parameters, temperatures, and shear rates
  • The influence of functional and processing additives on viscosity

HAAKE PolySoft Software

The Thermo Scientific HAAKE PolySoft Software guides QC with correct system set up and pre-programmed methods accessible with a single button press. The system software is also available in multiple languages for businesses and processes that span multiple countries. It also saves time and reduces operating errors as users only need to learn one software system to perform many different activities.


HAAKE PolyLab System selection guide

  HAAKE PolyLab QC System HAAKE PolyLab OS System
 
Footprint Compact Benchtop Floor standing, movable
Max torque 270 Nm 300 Nm (RD7) or 400 Nm (RD16)
Flexibility to attach different measuring systems Yes Yes
Mixer ~60 ccm, 300 ccm ~60 ccm, 300 ccm
Single-screw extruder L:D 19:25 Various L:D ratios
Twin-screw extruder Conical screws only Conical and parallel screws with a segmented screw design
Capillary rheometry Rod, slit (with balance) Rod, slit (with balance and melt-pump), extensional dies
Post-extrusion systems Range of dies, water bath, pelletizer, various take-off systems Range of dies, water bath, pelletizer, various take-off systems
Application examples
Mixer test Best suitable for PVC, rubber Yes
Filter test Yes Yes
Downstream application example Cast film, blown film, strandline, capillary rheology Cast film, blown film, strandline, capillary rheology
Material compounding of engineering and high temperature polymers No Yes
Capillary rheology Yes, especially for PVC Automated rheology with parallel twin-screw extruders using a melt pump
Conductivity measurements Yes Yes
  Learn more Learn more

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