Influence of shear rheometer measurement systems on the rheological properties of microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) suspensions

Flow curve and viscoelastic measurements were performed on microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) suspensions of different solids content using both cylinder and cup (smooth and rough) as well as vane in cup geometries. To compare the data quantitatively from amplitude sweep measurements and dynamic flow curves several descriptors were newly introduced to parameterize the observed two-zone behaviour separated by a transition region. It was observed that the cylinder cup geometries are prone to erroneous effects like slip, wall depletion and/or shear banding. However, those effects were not observed when the MFC suspension was not stressed beyond the dynamic critical stress (yield) point, i.e. when still in the linear viscoelastic regime. The vane in cup system on the other hand, seems to be less affected by flow inhomogeneities. By following the rheological properties as a function of the MFC suspension solids content, it could be shown that the global property trends remained alike for all investigated measurement systems, despite the presence of erroneous effects in some geometries. The observed effects were linked to recent model hypotheses in respect to the morphology of MFC suspensions under changing shear situations.