Temperature control system for a rheometer

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Complex fluids are materials which display both viscous and elastic behavior, so they are in a sense intermediate between liquids and solids. Such materials are extremely important as food products (yoghurt, mustard), personal care products (face cream, toothpaste), biomedical materials (wound dressings, artificial tissues) and industrial materials (wood pulp, fresh concrete, and polymer solutions). I study the properties and small-scale structure of complex fluids using a rheometer, an instrument that measures their response to an applied deformation. This proposal is for an upgrade to our current rheometer system that will allow us to study complex fluids at different temperatures, both above and below room temperature. This added capability will enable us to better understand the interactions between molecules or suspended particles that give these materials their interesting and useful properties. Ultimately this understanding could lead to the ability to design new materials with specfic properties for particular applications.