EC-Twist - MEP Instruments

EC-Twist
Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer
::: Intelligence in Rheometry

A New Twist on DMTA
EC-Twist is a Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer
for DMTA analysis on solids as well as liquids.
The modular system performs measurements
in torsion and extension and is the first DMTA
solution that can also be used for shearrheological
experiments – at unprecedented
precision.
Easy adaptation
EC-Twist builds on your applications. Whatever your DMTA
requirements are and will be in the future – EC-Twist is
efficiently and comfortably adapted to meet your needs.
The flexible application software and patented features
such as Toolmaster TM , an automatic tool recognition and
configuration system, make sure of this. Changing a film
or solid bar fixture for a cone-plate measuring system is
just as easy as integrating a new temperature device or
connecting a CCD camera for sample visualization. You
can use EC-Twist to analyze solutions, melts, solid bars,
films, foils or reactive epoxy resins.
High precision
EC-Twist builds on technological innovation. The
decoupling of sample pretension (stepper motor) and
excitation (EC motor) considerably increases the system’s
precision for solid bar measurements.
EC-Twist’s peak performance is based on technological
highlights such as the air-bearing-supported, synchronous
EC motor, TruRate TM sample-adaptive motor control,
TruStrain TM real-time position control or the patented
normal force sensor integrated in the air bearing.
Wide range
Performed on highly diverse samples, DMTA analysis
calls for full flexibility – ensured by a wealth of different
measuring systems and temperature devices easily
connected to EC-Twist. The instrument also performs
DMTA tests in torsion or extension, as well as shear
viscosity determination and extensional rheological tests.

Ready to Meet Your Requirements
Convection temperature devices
Four convection temperature devices are available,
covering whichever temperature range you require.
While the commonly used CTD 620 is optimized to
cover almost 75 % of all applications, the patented
CTD 180 is the only convection oven based on Peltier
technology, enabling low-temperature measurements
without the use of liquid nitrogen. The specialized
CTD 600 and CTD 1000 temperature devices are
mainly used for non-polymer samples such as glassor
aluminum melts.
Tribology System: friction and wear analysis of high-performance plastics
CCD Camera Digital Eye
Use the Digital Eye to record and display images or
video sequences which are then optionally displayed
directly in the diagram, assigned to the measuring
points at which they were recorded.
Measurement of additional properties
Parallel-plate measuring system with thermo-melting polymer granules
Due to EC-Twist’s Toolmaster TM function (automatic
recognition and configuration of connected devices)
and its high-precision flange, the instrument is easily
and swiftly equipped with specialized devices like
the Tribology System, for tribological analysis of
high-performance plastics and lubricants, or optical
and dielectrical systems for structure analysis, such
as the SAXS or SALS system or the Dielectro-
Rheological Device.

Evaporation Unit
The Evaporation Unit (EVU) provides for constant
temperature setting from -150 °C without temperature
steps. Liquid nitrogen is continuously evaporated in
an isolated reservoir and transferred to the measuring
cell. This continuous evaporation without switch cycles
facilitates temperature control at a level of precision that
cannot be attained by means of valve control.
Safety
All outside surfaces of Anton Paar’s temperature devices are
touch-proof up to their maximum temperature. The exhausts
are designed with cooling mechanisms to ensure safe and
comfortable use anytime and at any temperature.
Shear
rheology
Extensional
rheology
DMTA
torsion
DMTA
extension
DMTA
reaction
Measuring system
Polymer solutions
Polymer melts
Solid polymers
Elastomers
Reactive systems (epoxy resins)
UV curing materials (Photo DMTA)
Parallel plate
Parallel plate, disposable
Cone-plate, TruGap TM
Solid rectangular fixture
Universal extensional fixture
Sentmanat extensional rheometer

DMTA in Torsion and Extension
Relaxation steps during the softening process of
a solid may become visible in the glass transition
region. Various evaluation methods enable the
quantification of a material’s transition from its solid
to its rubber-elastic state. The melting point T m
,
the glass transition temperature T g
, the secondary
β- and γ-relaxations, the shear modulus at a given
temperature – EC-Twist provides you with all these
values at the push of a button.
The following contains brief descriptions of the most
essential EC-Twist test types for your consideration.
DMTA in torsion
One of EC-Twist’s main applications is the dynamic mechanical
thermal analysis of thermoplastics, thermosets or elastomers in
torsion. The measurement is performed in the destruction-free
linear viscoelastic range using the Solid Rectangular Fixture
SRF. The SRF enables determination of the shear moduli G’
and G’’ and the loss or damping factor tan (δ) of solid bars.
4 Oscillatory signal measured by the EC motor, without
superposition of a pretension force
4 Separate pretension and compensation of thermal
expansion by the stepper motor
4 Optimal measuring signal, especially in borderline
areas – the extremely low temperatures below the glass
temperature and the high temperatures close to the melting
point
4 Typical specimen dimensions (in mm): 40 x 10 x 1
DMTA in extension
The UXF Universal Extensional Fixture enables the
measurement of the storage and loss modulus E’ and E’’
as well as the damping factor tan (δ) of thin film sheets and
fibers in the glass transition region. The system can be used
to characterize multi-layer laminates as well as coating films.
4 Modular design with various drums and QuickSnap fixture
4 Measurement of E’, E’’ and tan (δ)
4 Strain- or stress-controlled tests
4 Typical specimen dimensions (in mm): 19 x 5 x 0.05
4 For extensional melt rheology (in mm): 19 x 10 x 1
Shrinkage and expansion measurement
By applying a constant tensile stress or strain to a film or
fiber, its shrinkage or expansion is measured depending on
time and temperature. This method enables the practical
evaluation of shrink films as well as investigations on film
shrinkage by accidental heating (e.g. by solar radiation).
Temperature sweep in torsion with glass transition
Temperature sweep in extension with glass transition
Film shrinkage and thermal expansion

DMTA on Reaction Kinetics
The kinetics of reactive materials is investigated
isothermally or by presetting a temperature ramp
and a defined heating rate. The measurement is
performed with disposable parallel-plate measuring
systems (15 mm or smaller). A special evaluation
macro in the application software evaluates the
degree of cross-linkage based on the storage
modulus and analyzes the sol-gel transition.
One of the key features for precisely following
reaction kinetics is the fast data acquisition based
on EC-Twist’s TruStrain TM functionality. Typical
sampling rates are 1 Hz as a quasi-standard or
10 Hz for rapid curing processes.
DMTA on reaction kinetics
In the case of thermal cross-linkage, the liquid or
two-component sample (resin and hardener) is heated and
undergoes a viscosity reduction down to the softening point.
From this point onwards, the cross-linkage reaction starts.
Until its pot life the sample is still soft, but subsequently, i.e.
at the sol-gel point, transforms into a gel-like state. Then it
reaches its curing point and arrives at its final rigidity.
a sample pressed into tablet shape. In a test like this, the
sample passes through three phases. At first it is solid
and unlinked. After the material’s fusion and melting at the
melting point, its cross-linking starts, which leads to the
material’s near-complete curing after it passes its curing
point.
Photo DMTA (UV curing)
During the past few years, there has been rapidly growing
interest in UV light curing of materials, a photochemical
polymerization process. This technology has considerable
practical and economic benefits. To measure materials’
curing behavior, a powerful ultraviolet (UV) light source is
connected to the measuring cell via a flexible light guide
and controlled by the software.
4 Optionally available with a built-in radiometer for
calibration purposes
4 Light source can be synchronized with rheological
measuring profile using the application software
Apart from “liquid-to-solid” curing procedures, EC-Twist also
measures the cross-linkage reaction of an epoxy powder or
Measuring modes offered by EC-Twist
Shear, continuous Shear, oscillatory Torsion, oscillatory
Extension, continuous
Extension, oscillatory
Reaction kinetics of a curing resin
Curing reaction of an epoxy resin with high
concentration of filler
UV cure and rate of cross-linkage

Melt Rheology
EC-Twist’s range of measuring possibilities is
not limited to solid samples. With cone-plate,
TruGap TM or parallel-plate measuring systems
with automatic gap control, polymers can also
be measured as melts. Constant TruGap TM
monitoring and control enables the use of
cone-plate measuring systems to determine
Mastercurves (Time-Temperature Superposition
TTS) and measure temperature ramps – so
when measuring polymer melts, you benefit
from a constant shear rate in the measuring
gap. Gap errors due to thermal expansion are
no longer an issue.
Shear rheology of melts
A flow curve over a wide range of shear rates can also
be generated from a Mastercurve using the Cox-Merz
transformation. Regression models such as Carreau-
Yasuda allow the calculation of important material
parameters such as the relaxation time and power law
index. The polymer's zero-shear viscosity is directly
proportional to the molar mass.
Transient time effects
Stress relaxation tests provide information on
time-dependent relaxation behavior after a defined
deflection; creep tests on the other hand enable “longterm
flow” measurements of melts, bars, films and fibers
under a constant stress load.
Time-Temperature Superposition
The Time-Temperature Superposition enables
the determination of Mastercurves at a
given reference temperature. In this way, the
frequency response and relaxation behavior
can be determined over a range of more than
10 decades.
Extensional viscosity
Extensional rheology is an excellent method
for morphologically investigating elastomers
or polymers. By measuring extensional
viscosity under a preset constant strain rate,
a distinction between linear and branched
polymers is easily made.
Further testing options
In addition to the applications presented here,
various further tests are available. EC-Twist’s
application software offers diverse presets such
as strain and amplitude, torsion, extension,
compression (normal force), temperature
and many more which can be combined in
real time, enabling the exact simulation of
application conditions.
Flow curve converted from frequency
sweep using Cox-Merz
Mastercurve (Time-Temperature Superposition)
Extensional viscosity of branched and
linear polymer melts vs. time

Specifications
Unit EC-Twist 302 EC-Twist 502
Bearing - Air Air
EC motor (brushless DC) with high-resolution optical encoder -
Permanent torque (60 min), no signal drift -
EC mode (controlled shear rate and shear stress)
Maximum torque mNm 200 230
Minimum torque, rotation nNm 10 10
Minimum torque, oscillation nNm 2 2
Torque resolution nNm 0.1 0.1
Angular deflection, set value µrad 0.1 to ∞ 0.1 to ∞
Angular deflection, resolution nrad 10 10
Step rate, time constant ms 5 5
Step strain, time constant ms 10 10
Step time (rate, strain), 99 % of set value (all samples) ms 30 30
Minimum angular velocity (1 rad/s 10 -9 10 -9
Maximum angular velocity rad/s 314 314
Minimum angular frequency (2 rad/s 10 -7 (3 10 -7 (3
Maximum angular frequency rad/s 628 628
Normal force range N 0.005 to 50 0.005 to 50
Normal force resolution mN 0.5 0.5
Dimensions mm 678 x 444 x 586 753 x 444 x 586
Weight kg 42 47
Toolmaster TM , measuring system -
Toolmaster TM , measuring cell -
QuickConnect for measuring systems, screwless -
Electronic trimlock for the measuring system -
Digital Eye, Software video option and camera -
Virtually gradient-free (horizontal, vertical) temperature control -
CoolPeltier TM , Peltier system with built-in cooling option requiring
no additional accessories for counter-cooling
°C -5 to 200 -5 to 200
Peltier-based convection oven, does not require LN 2 for cooling °C -20 to 180 -20 to 180
Actively Peltier-controlled hood, Peltier technology °C -40 to 200 -40 to 200
Concentric-cylinder Peltier temperature control °C -30 to 200 -30 to 200
Convection Temperature Devices (CTD) °C -150 to 1000 -150 to 1000
Automatic gap control/setting, AGC/AGS -
TruGap TM for in-place measurement and control of the gap -
T-Ready TM -
Direct strain, amplitude controller -
Direct stress, amplitude controller -
TruRate TM -
TruStrain TM -
Normal force and velocity profiles, tack, squeeze -
Raw data (LAOS, waveform, ...) -
1) Depending on measuring point duration and sampling time, practically any value is achieved
2) Set frequencies below 10 -4 rad/s are of no practical relevance due to the measuring point
duration > 1 day
3) Theoretical value (duration per cycle = 2 years)
Legend:
optional

Photos: Croce & Wir
Anton Paar ® GmbH
Anton-Paar-Str. 20
A-8054 Graz
Austria - Europe
Tel: +43 (0)316 257-0
Fax: +43 (0)316 257-257
E-mail: info@anton-paar.com
Web: www.anton-paar.com
Instruments for:
Density & concentration
measurement
Rheometry
Viscometry
Sample preparation
Microwave synthesis
Colloid science
X-ray structure analysis
Refractometry
Polarimetry
High-precision temperature
measurement
Specifications
subject to change
without notice
02/13 C92IP008EN-F