Apparatuses and methods designed to allow for on-site, on-demand measurement of rheological properties of a sample are disclosed. The apparatuses and methods utilize both a visual component (e.g., a camera) to obtain information about the sample for making such rheological property determinations and an integrated electrical circuit to apply a current to the sample for also making such rheological property determinations. The application of the current is done in a manner such that a thinning behavior of the sample is unaffected. Further, the apparatuses are configured in a manner that allow them to be portable so that samples can be analyzed shortly after they are received, at a point-of-use. Various configurations and methods associated with such apparatuses are also disclosed.

The invention relates to a rotational shear rheometer (1) comprising a first plate (10), a first flexure (11) pivotally connecting the first plate (10) to a support (60), a piezoelectric element (40) extending along a longitudinal axis (L) arranged tangentially in respect of the first plate (10), wherein said piezoelectric element (40) is configured to elongate and/or undergo compression along said longitudinal axis (L), and wherein said first end (41) is mechanically coupled to said first plate (10), wherein said first flexure (11) comprises a first flexural element (12) and a second flexural element (13) non-parallel to the first flexural element (12), wherein the first flexural element (12) and the second flexural element (13) connect said first plate (10) to said support (60), extend radially in respect of the pivot axis (P) and intersect with the pivot axis (P), wherein said piezoelectric element (40) is further configured as a sensor capable of detecting a torque acting on said first plate (10). Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for determining mechanical properties of a sample using the rotational shear rheometer.

A test method for characterizing the mechanical properties including the surface adhesion energy γ on the basis of the experimentally derived P-A relationship, where P means the indentation load under the penetration depth h of an indenter pressed onto a test specimen with surface adhesion, and A means the contact area of indentation at the contact radius a under the applied load of P. This test method enables the implementation for quantitatively as well as simultaneously characterizing the adhesion energy as well as the various mechanical properties (elastic/elastoplastic/viscoelastic properties) of soft materials.

Characterizing the decay of the microstructure of a drilling fluid gel using a model based on two exponential functions. Based on the model, identify at least two components of the decay model comprising a fast decay component and a slow decay component, wherein the fast decay component decays more quickly than the slow decay component. The decay of the microstructure of the gel over a time period can be determined using a rheometer or viscometer. Wellbore processes, including start up and tripping operations can be optimized based on the determination of the fast decay component and/or a slow decay component of the drilling fluid gel.

The present invention relates to a jig for evaluating a buffer pad. The jig includes a first plate configured to be positioned on one surface of the buffer pad and configured to press the buffer pad; a second plate configured to be positioned on another surface of the buffer pad and configured to press the buffer pad from the other surface; and a magnet member configured to be positioned between the first plate and the second plate. A recessed portion, which is recessed to allow the magnet member to be disposed, is defined at an edge of at least one of the first plate and the second plate.

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.

An air pressure-machine vision based system for measuring a rheological property of a viscoelastic material includes a machine body, a lifting experiment table system, an air pressure generation control system, an image collection system, and a controlling and information processing system, where the lifting experiment table system, the air pressure generation control system, the image collection system and the controlling and information processing system are mounted on the machine body; the lifting experiment table system includes a lifting table stepping motor, an L-shaped lifting table and a lifting table motor driver, and the lifting table motor driver is connected to the lifting table stepping motor and configured to drive the lifting table stepping motor; and the lifting table stepping motor is connected to the L-shaped lifting table and configured to control lifting of the L-shaped lifting table.

Methods and systems for characterizing multiple parameters of viscous fluid simultaneously are provided. By imposing an oscillatory deformation profile on a filament formed of the viscous fluid between two plates, a nonlinear fit to the deformation profile captured at different times is analyzed against a filament model dependent upon the plates radius, viscous fluid density, and the oscillation frequency of the imposed deformation profile. The Reynolds number, Weber number, and the aspect ratio of the viscous fluid are thus determined, for identifying the Newtonian fluid.

There is a viscoelastic strain sensor that includes a sensing layer including a viscoelastic material, the viscoelastic material including a viscoelastic hydrogel and a conductive nanofiller. The viscoelastic material has a fractional resistance change that increases with an increase of an applied tensile strain, and the viscoelastic material has a fractional resistance change that decreases with an applied compressional strain.

An apparatus is for use in viscoelastic analysis, for example in coagulation testing of sample liquids, such as blood and/or its elements. In the apparatus for use in viscoelastic analysis, the rotating means are provided below the cup, pin and cup receiving element. A capacitive detection means and temperature control devices may be used in the apparatus for use in viscoelastic analysis. A method of performing viscoelastic analysis, e.g. coagulation analysis, on a sample may use the devices and apparatuses.