In situ rheometric shearing apparatus at the NIST Center for Neutron Research

A constant stress Couette cell rheometer has been modified to measure simultaneously the viscometric properties and neutron scattering intensities from the NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) small angle neutron scattering (SANS) spectrometers. The apparatus was constructed to complement scattering radiation experiments of solutions under shear. The apparatus is capable of high accuracy measurements with viscosities that can range over about ten orders of magnitude. Sample plots showing simultaneous measurements of the viscosity and the anisotropic scattering patterns from micellar solutions are presented. The apparatus is easily adapted for light scattering.