Torsion pendulum apparatus

The specimens were treated according to the method of Nakagami and coworkers [17,18]. Japanese linden Tilia japonica Smik.) was treated with trifluoroacetic acid anhydride and the fatty acids (TFAA method), which included acetic acid, propionic acid, valeric acid, hexanoic acid, decanoic acid, lauric acid, and palmitic acid. Dynamic measurements were made with a torsion pendulum apparatus under a vacuum. An increasing temperature rate was 2°C/min. The amount of introduced side chain per gram of wood is about 4-6 mmol/g [16]. The chemical structure of the treated wood is presented by the formula ... 

Generally, the operative frequency range for the torsional pendulum method is 0.01 to 50 Hz, the upper limit of the frequency defined by the dimensions of the oscillatory frequency relative to the dimensions of the sample. At higher investigative temperatures, the polymeric materials may undergo extensional deformation (creep) due to the weight of the inertia bar. Under such circumstances, a modified torsion pendulum apparatus may be used in which an inertia disk is attached directly onto the end of the sample (12). In addition, this method is frequently employed to measure the torsion modulus at low frequencies. 

Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) is a technique in which the elastic and viscous response of a sample under oscillating load, are monitored against temperature, time or frequency. This technique became well known by the impressive amount of information about the structure of polymers obtained with the torsion pendulum apparatus. The torsion pendulum DMA apparatus is a so-called resonant system i.e. the measuring frequency is not constant. The modern DMA systems are nearly always fixed frequency systems operating at frequencies between about 0.01 and 100 Hz. and in a temperature region ranging from about -150°C to 300°C. A survey of the DMA technique and the available commercial equipment was given by Wunderlich [1]. 

These results were measured with an automated torsion pendulum apparatus. A rectangular sample strip of 50 x 10 x 1 mm. acted in combination with a steel suspension wire and a rotating mass as a visco-elastic spring. The measurements were performed while the sample temperature continously increased at a rate of l°C/minute. The storage shear (6 ) modulus and the loss shear (G ) modulus were determined from the free, damped vibrations (frequency about 0.5 Hz.) according to (4) ... 

The simplest type of dynamic measurement uses a torsional-pendulum apparatus of the type shown in fig. 7.12. The system is allowed to undergo free torsional oscillations, which usually occur at frequencies of the order... 

A torsion pendulum apparatus was used to get information about the shear rheological properties of the surfactants at the interface. This sensitive instrument was not capable of detecting significant elastic or viscous properties except for Lecithine. The analysis provided data that indicated a low viscous resistance for Lecithine with an interfacial shear loss modulus of about 0.03 mN/m. Hence, we can conclude, that no network-like superstructures were formed, and that the large dilatational elastic response was mainly caused by Gibbs- and Marangoni-effects. 

Before considering particular test methods, it is useful to survey the principles and terms used in dynamic testing. There are basically two classes of dynamic motion, free vibration in which the test piece is set into oscillation and the amplitude allowed to decay due to damping in the system, and forced vibration in which the oscillation is maintained by external means. These are illustrated in Figure 9.1 together with a subdivision of forced vibration in which the test piece is subjected to a series of half-cycles. The two classes could be sub-divided in a number of ways, for example forced vibration machines may operate at resonance or away from resonance. Wave propagation (e.g. ultrasonics) is a form of forced vibration method and rebound resilience is a simple unforced method consisting of one half-cycle. The most common type of free vibration apparatus is the torsion pendulum. 

Figure 9-8. Types of torsion pendulum, (a) Free oscillation apparatus with inertia member supported by test piece (b) free oscillation apparatus with inertial member supported by a fine wire. In both types of apparatus, a lamp and scale is used in conjunction with the mirror to observe the oscillations. The broken lines indicate compensation devices to produce a constant amplitude apparatus...

One can determine the shear modulus of a fiber from a torque per unit area versus twist curve. In practice, a simple apparatus called a torsion penduliun is used more commonly. An experimental setup to measure the shear modulus of small fibers is shown in Fig. 9.8 (Mehta, 1996). The torsional pendulum, placed in a vacuum oven, allows the measurement of shear modulus as a func-... 

Various methods (1-1) have used to determine the dynamic mechanical properties of polymers. Many of the instruments described are well known and are widely used (torsional pendulum, rheovibron, vibrating reed, and Oberst beam ASTM D4065-82). Newer instruments like the torqued cylinder apparatus (4), resonant bar apparatus (5) and Polymer Laboratories Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analyzer (6) are becoming more popular in recent times. 

Measurements of creep in torsion can be made very accurately. The reason is that deformation can be measured by measuring the large deflections of a light beam. A convenient way to simultaneously obtain shear dynamic and transient data is to combine both types of measurements in the same equipment (4). Usually this requires only small modifications of the experimental device. For example, the cross bar in a torsion pendulum can be removed and replaced by weights and pulleys to apply a constant torque to the upper clamp. In this way, a torsion creep apparatus is obtained (Fig. 7.8). The... 

The measurements were performed with an automated torsion pendulum (DMA) apparatus working at a frequency of about 0.5 Hz. (varying frequency system, see Chapter 4). The use of a low-stiffness suspension wire permitted stiffness measurements as low as 5H4 N/m2. These DMA measurements were performed from 50°C up to 250°C using a heating rate of l°C/minute the samples were, during these experiments, purged with nitrogen. 

A TBA is a torsional pendulum with which a composite specimen instead of a free film is used (318,322,323). The specimen is prepared by soaking a multi-filamented glass braid in a polymer solution and, after mounting the specimen in the apparatus, removing the solvent by heating. Measurements are similar to those with the torsional pendulum. Rigidity and damping values are calculated. The former is proportional to G the latter, to tan 8. 

The principal input and output tests used by the US at the time of publishing NOLTR 1111(1952) included Drop Ball Testers (two types) Sand Bomb Apparatuses 100, 200, 360 500 gram Condenser Discharge Apparatus Torsional Ballistic Pendulums (two types) Drop Ball Test Set Mk 135 with Chronograph Thermocouple Drop Ball Test Set Mk 136 with Chronograph Gas Explosion Chambers (two types) Gas Volume and Impulse Apparatus Pressure Bomb Apparatus and Hopkinson Bar Apparatus (Ref 11, pp 9-2 9-3, Table 9-D... 

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