An alternative approach for measuring yield stress and its application in Carbopol microgel

An innovative experimental apparatus for the direct measurement of yield stress was conceived and realized. It is based on a torsion pendulum equipped with a magnetic dipole and a rotating cylinder immersed in the material to be investigated. The pendulum equilibrium state depends on the mechanical torque applied due to an external magnetic induction field, elastic reaction of the suspension wire, and shear yield stress. Experimental results are reported showing that the behavior of the pendulum rotation angle, in different equilibrium conditions, provides evidence of the yield stress presence and enables its evaluation by equilibrium equations. The dependence on time of the equilibrium approach was also studied, contributing to shed light on the relaxation effect in the transition from a fluid-like to solid-like behavior, as well as on the eventual thixotropic effects in non-Newtonian fluids. The validity of the proposed technique and related experimental apparatus was tested in aqueous Carbopol solutions, with different weight percentages. The linear procedure, combined with the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed experimental method, candidates it to be used for the study of peculiar behaviors of other yield stress complex fluid such as blood, crude waxy oils, ice slurries, and coating layer used in the food industry and also for fault sliding in geodynamics.