• Important: PLEASE Indicate any safety, exposure, handling, or disposal considerations prior to sample shipment in case RTS cannot properly accommodate.​

• ​Temperature Range: 0 to 200C. 

• Sample Volume: Ideally >2mL per assay.  If sample is limited, depending on sample properties, assays may be performed with >150uL (moderate viscosity) and >25uL (high viscosity) transferrable sample using a small plate with small plate gap although accuracy and precision may decrease.  Having extra sample is often helpful if further method refinement and repeat analyses are necessary.

• Replicates: Multiple replicates (n>2) per assay are recommended depending on desired precision.  Triplicate assays are required to determine standard deviation and %RSD.

• Performance Standards: Bracketing performance standards are assayed before and after each assay set to confirm proper rheometer operation.  Water or certified silicone oil for rotational assays and PDMS for oscillatory assays are used.  Results are included in report.​

• Volatiles:  Please note if sample contains volatiles at assay temperatures.  Volatiles loss may affect results if not accommodated by using a solvent trap to saturate the sample assay environment with the volatile(s).  Providing the specific volatiles with samples is suggested.

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• Particles: Depending on other assay parameters, solids (>200-300um) can bind rheometer plates leading to variability.  with client approval, solids can be removed.

• Oxidation: Assays can be performed under low-flow N2 in an enclosed assay chamber to reduce potential for oxidative degradation.  Request if needed.

• Pre-shear: Unless requested, samples will not be intentionally pre-sheared.  Pre-shearing can be helpful to rheologically normalize samples; however, depending on the material sensitivity to shear thinning and subsequent rheological post-shear thinning and re-building (or lack of), some rheological properties may be erased.  It is recommended to consider pre-shearing if deemed necessary based on observed rheological properties of sample.  A thixotropy assay can provide insight into rheological rebuilding or lack thereof. 

• Low Viscosity: Low viscosity samples typically generate variable results at low shear rates.

• Slippage: Unless specified otherwise, semi-solids will typically be assayed with a 25mm roughened parallel upper plate and roughened lower plate to reduce potential for slippage at the sample-plate interface and/or reduce sample volume.  Low viscosity samples will be assayed with a smooth 40mm plate or 60mm/1deg cone. 

• High Shear Rate: Assays performed at high shear rates may require using a parallel plate with narrow sample gap (100-200um) to better retain sample within plates.  Low viscosity samples tend to show turbulence >10,000sec-1 and dislodge from plates at high shear rate (>50,000sec-1).

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