A method for quantifying viscoelasticity of a medium includes: obtaining a position-time graph of vibration propagation after the medium is subjected to a vibration excitation, determining an angle with maximum signal energy in the position-time graph by using angle projection, where the angle with the maximum signal energy corresponds to a slope of the position-time graph and the slope of the position-time graph is the propagation velocity of the vibration in the medium. Since the propagation velocity of the vibration in the medium is related to the viscoelasticity of the medium, a viscoelasticity parameter of the medium can be quantitatively calculated after the slope of the position-time graph is obtained. The method does not need to select a feature point from the position-time graph to calculate the slope of the position-time graph, and can efficiently and accurately quantifies viscoelasticity of the medium.

An atomic-force-microscope-based apparatus and method including hardware and software, configured to collect, in a dynamic fashion, and analyze data representing mechanical properties of soft materials on a nanoscale, to map viscoelastic properties of a soft-material sample. The use of the apparatus as an addition to the existing atomic-force microscope device.

The present invention relates to devices for measuring property changes via in-situ micro-viscometry and methods of using same. The aforementioned device is inexpensive and can be used to quickly and accurately measure numerous physical and chemical property changes, including but not limited to the rate of chemical cure, change in tack, and rate of mass loss, for example, rate of moisture, solvent and/or plasticizer change.

A method for detecting components of dielectric materials is disclosed. The method includes use of a sensor to obtain at least one of a strain-dielectric coefficient data series at multiple frequencies or a stress-dielectric coefficient data series at multiple frequencies and using a processor to analyze resulting data, when a strain field or a stress field is known. The method also includes use of a sensor to obtain rheo-dielectric coefficient data at single frequency or data series at multiple frequencies and using a processor to analyze resulting data, when shear rate is known. The resulting data is used to perform material process or operation monitoring and control, quality examination, and characterization. Systems for detecting components of dielectric materials and for dielectrostriction measurement are also disclosed.

A method of measuring cement volumetric changes includes loading a sample cement into a flexible container and surrounding the flexible container by a column of fluid in a chamber. The temperature of the column of fluid is adjusted to a cement setting temperature, and the sample cement is allowed to set over several hours. The pressure of the column of fluid is adjusted to a test pressure. The temperature of the column of fluid in the chamber is adjusted to induce volumetric changes in the set cement. As the volume of the set cement changes, fluid volume adjustments are applied to the column of fluid in the chamber to maintain the pressure of the column of fluid in the chamber constant at the test pressure. The volumetric changes in the set cement are determined from the fluid volume adjustments applied to the column of fluid in the chamber.

A method for quantifying viscoelasticity of a medium includes: obtaining a position-time graph of vibration propagation after the medium is subjected to a vibration excitation, determining an angle with maximum signal energy in the position-time graph by using angle projection, where the angle with the maximum signal energy corresponds to a slope of the position-time graph and the slope of the position-time graph is the propagation velocity of the vibration in the medium. Since the propagation velocity of the vibration in the medium is related to the viscoelasticity of the medium, a viscoelasticity parameter of the medium can be quantitatively calculated after the slope of the position-time graph is obtained. The method does not need to select a feature point from the position-time graph to calculate the slope of the position-time graph, and can efficiently and accurately quantifies viscoelasticity of the medium.

A device for nondestructive viscoelastic characterization of materials, comprising: a tubular shell, having inside a through-recess provided with at least a first and a second shrinkage; a first rod, provided with a base of ferromagnetic material (8), sliding inside said shell between a first position, in which said ferrule does not project to the lower base of said shell, and a second position, in which said ferrule projects to said lower base; a first spring configured to push said ferrule outwards; a displacement sensor configured to read the displacement of said first rod; a button, sliding-between a stroke greater than the one of said first rod, and integral to a second rod provided with a magnet and coaxial to said first rod; a second spring.

A portable testing device and method for measuring physical characteristics of a polymeric or elastomeric material is provided. The testing device includes an indenter probe; a drive system for controlling movement of said probe, said drive system comprising a motorized linear slide operatively associated with the probe to advance said probe from a first position to a second position to deform said polymeric or elastomeric material and to facilitate instant or fast retraction of said probe to a predetermined intermediate position between said first and second positions; and a force/displacement measurement system including a first sensor for measuring force at the tip of said probe during contact with said polymeric or elastomeric material and a second sensor for measuring displacement of the probe; and a controller configured to provide control to the force/displacement measurement system and the drive system.

Disclosed is an apparatus for determining viscoelastic characteristics of at least a portion of an object. The apparatus comprises a fluidly sealable housing, comprising at least one aperture and at least one fluid inlet port and at least one resilient membrane that is operatively coupled to the housing so as to sealingly engage with the at least one aperture. The apparatus further comprises at least one actuator that is operatively coupled to the at least one inlet port and adapted to actuate the at least one resilient membrane via a working fluid that is contained within the housing, so that the at least one resilient membrane is moved towards and into engagement with at least a portion of an object at a predetermined pressure. Furthermore, the apparatus comprises at least one first sensor that is operably coupled to the membrane and that is adapted to determine at least a deformation of the at least one resilient membrane during actuation.

An atomic-force-microscope-based apparatus and method including hardware and software, configured to collect, in a dynamic fashion, and analyze data representing mechanical properties of soft materials on a nanoscale, to map viscoelastic properties of a soft-material sample. The use of the apparatus as an addition to the existing atomic-force microscope device.