• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.110-118
• /
• 2023

Characterizing the extensional rheological properties of non-Newtonian fluids is crucial in many industrial processes, such as inkjet printing, injection molding, and fiber engineering. However, educational institutions and research laboratories with budget constraints have limited access to an expensive commercial extensional rheometer. In this study, we developed a custom-made extensional rheometer using a CO₂ laser cutting machine and 3D printer. Furthermore, we utilized a smartphone with a low-cost microscopic lens for achieving a high spatial resolution of images. The aqueous polyethylene-oxide (PEO) solutions and a Boger fluid were prepared to characterize their extensional properties. A transition from a visco-capillary to an elasto-capillary regime was observed clearly through the developed rheometer. The extensional relaxation time and viscosity of the aqueous PEO solutions with a zero-shear viscosity of over 300 mPa·s could be quantified in the elasto-capillary regime. The extensional properties of the solutions with relatively small zero shear viscosity could be calculated using a smartphone's slow-motion feature with increasing temporal resolution of the images.