Cambridge Multipass Rheometer

The Multipass Rheometer (MPR) is an apparatus developed in the Chemical Engineering Department at Cambridge in the 1990s. The MPR has gone through quite a lengthy development and has involved two manufacturers. The early MPRs were manufactured by a Company called Eland Test Plant Ltd. This company went into liquidation and after a lot of pain on every ones part, a second company Strata Technology took over further design and development. They were ably assisted by a contol company, Omega Engineering. To link with Strata Technology; go to www.stratatec.co.uk/products/multi-pass-rheometer

The first MPR paper was published in 1995

• M.R.Mackley, R.T.J.Marshall and J.B.A.F. Smeulders. The multipass rheometer.. Journal of Rheology. 39(6), 1293- 1309 (1995).

Subsequently much MPR research has been carried out and summarised in a review.

• M.R.Mackley and D.G.Hassell The Multipass rheometer; a review Part 1 , Part 2 Journal of Non Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 166, 9-10, 421-456 (2011)

Below is a Powerpoint presentation given about the MPR in 2006 at the Yamagata Japan

Yamagata 2006 (v2) (.pdf)

Papers relevant to the Multipass Rheometer

• M.R.Mackley, R.T.J.Marshall and J.B.A.F. Smeulders. The multipass rheometer. Journal of Rheology. 39(6), 1293- 1309 (1995).
• M.R.Mackley and P Spittler.Experimental observations on the pressure dependant polymer melt rheology of linear low density polyethylene using a Multipass Rheometer Rheol Acta. 35, 202-209 (1996).
• W K Wee & M.R.Mackley The rheology and processing of a concentrated Cellulose Acetate solution Chem Eng Sci. 53, 6. 1131-1144 (1998).
• M Ranganthan, M.R.Mackley and P.H.J.Spittler. Experimental observations and modelling of time dependent capillary flow for a high density polyethylene using a multipass rheometer J Rheology ,43(2) 443-451 (1999).
• M R Mackley, G D Moggridge and O Saquet Direct experimental evidence for the preferential growth of flow induced fibrous polymer crystallisation occurring at a solid / melt interface. J Material Science. 35, 20 5247-5254 (2000)
• K. Lee and M.R.Mackley The importance of slip in matching polyethylene processing data with numerical simulation J Non Newtonian Fluid Mech 94 159-177 (2000)
• K Lee and M.R.Mackley The application of the Multi-Pass rheometer for precise rheo-optic characterisation of polyethylene melts Chemical Engineering Science 56, 5653-5661 (2001)
• K Lee, M.R.Mackley, T.C.B. Mcleish, T.M.Nicholson, and O.Harlen
  Experimental observation and numerical simulation of transient stress fangs within flowing molten polyethylene Journal of Rheology. 45(6) 1261-1277 (2001)
• M.J.Thompson, J.R.A Pearson and M.R.Mackley The effect of droplet extension on the rheology of emulsions of water in alkyd resin Journal of Rheology. 45(6) 1341-1358 (2001)
• J.F.Agassant , F. Baaijens , H. Bastian, A. Bernnat, A.C.B.Bogaerds T.Coupez, B. Debbaut, A.L.Gavrus, A.Goublomme , M. van Gurp, R.J. KoopmansG, H.M.Laun, K.Lee, O.H. Nouatin, M.R.Mackley, G.W.M.Peters , G. Rekers W.M.H.Verbeeten , B.Vergnes M.H. Wagner, E.Wassner and W.F. Zoetelief. The matching of experimental polymer processing flows to numerical simulation International. Polymer. Processing. 17.1, 3-10 (2002).
• A Lele, M.R. Mackley, G. Galgali & C Ramesh In situ rheo-xray investigation orientation in layered silicate-syndiotactic polypropylene nanocomposite melt. Journal of Rheology. 46,5. 1091-1110 (2002)
• M.S.Law, M.R.Mackley, J Bridgwater, G.D.Moggridge and A.E.Bayly
  Multilayer vesicles in a commercial surfactant system. AIChE Journal v 49 nos 11 29662973 (2003)
• S.A.McKeown, M.R.Mackley and G.D.Moggridge
  Shear-induced structural changes in a commercial surfactant-based system. Trans IChemE 81A 649-664 (2003)
  Liaw, M.S., M.R. Mackley, A.E. Bayley, J. Bridgwater, and G.D. Moggridge,
  Multilamellar Vesicles in a Commercial Surfactant System.
  AIChE J., 49 (11), 2966-2973 (2003).
• T.R. Tuladhar & M.R. Mackley Experimental observations and modelling relating to foaming and bubble growth from pentane loaded polystyrene melts. Chemical Engineering Science Vol 59/24 ,5997-6014 (2004)
• M.W. Collis, M.R. Mackley. The melt processing of monodisperse and polydisperse polystyrene melts within a slit entry and exit flow. J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech. 128 ,29–41 (2005)
• M.W.Collis, A.K.Lele, M.R.Mackley, R.S.Graham, D.J.Groves, A.E.Likhtman, T.M.Nicholson, O.G. Harlen, T.C.B.Mcleish, L.R.Hutchings, C.M. Fernyhough, and R.N.Young Constriction flows of monodisperse linear entangled polymers: Multiscale modeling and flow visualization. Journal of Rheology 49 (2) 501-522 (2005)
• J Engmann and M. R. Mackley Semi-solid processing of chocolate and cocoa butter: 1. the experimental correlation of process rheology with microstructure. Trans IChemE, Part C, Food and Bioproducts Processing, 84(C2): 95–101(2006)
• J Engmann and M. R. Mackley Semi-solid processing of chocolate and cocoa butter: modelling rheology and microstructure changes during extrusion. Trans IChemE, Part C, Food and Bioproducts Processing, 84(C2): 102–108 (2006)
• S. Sonwai and M.R. Mackley The Effect of Shear on the Crystallization of Cocoa Butter. Journal of American Oil Chemists Society. JAOCS 83(7), 583-596 (2006)
• R Valette, M R. Mackley and G Hernandez Fernandez del Castillo Matching time dependent pressure driven flows with a Rolie Poly numerical simulation. Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics Volume 136, Issues 2-3 , 15 July, 118-125 (2006)
• J. Embery , R.S.Graham RS, Duckett RA, Groves D, Collis M, Mackley MR, McLeish TCB Tearing energy study of “oriented and relaxed” polystyrene in the glassy state Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics, Vol.45, No.4, 377-394, (2007)
• Tuladhar, T.R. and Mackley, M.R. Filament stretching rheometry and break-up of low viscosity polymer solutions and inkjet fluids Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 148 97-108. (2008)
• K. D. Coventry and M. R. Mackley Cross-slot extensional flow birefringence observations of polymer melts using a multi-pass rheometer Journal of Rheology 52, 2, 401-415 (2008)
• D.G.Hassell and M.R.Mackley. Localised flow-induced crystallisation of a polyethylene melt. Rheologica Acta. 47, Nos 9 435-446 (2008)
• D.G. Hassell, D. Auhl, T. C. B. McLeish and M.R.Mackley. The effect of viscoelasticity on stress fields within polyethylene melt flow for a cross-slot and contraction–expansion slit geometry. Rheologica Acta 47, Nos 7 821-834 (2008)
• L. Scelsi & M. R. Mackley Rheo-optic flow-induced crystallisation of polypropylene and polyethylene within confined entry–exit flow geometries Rheologica Acta 47. 895–908 (2008)
• L. Scelsi, M. R. Mackley, H. Klein, P. D. Olmsted, R. S. Graham, O. G. Harlen, and T. C. B. McLeish. Experimental observations and matching viscoelastic specific work predictions of flow-induced crystallization for molten polyethylene within two flow geometries Journal of Rheology 53,4, 859-876 (2009)
• D. G. Hassell, J. Embery, T.C.B. McLeish and M.R Mackley An experimental evaluation of the formation of an instability in monodisperse and polydisperse polystyrenes. Journal of Non Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 157,1. 1-14 (2009)
• D.G. Hassell and M.R Mackley An experimental evaluation of the behaviour of mono and polydisperse polystyrenes in Cross-Slot flow. Rheologica Acta, 48, 5. 543-550 (2009)
• D.G. Hassell, D. Hoyle, D. Auhl, O. Harlen, M.R. Mackley and T. C. B. McLeish Effect of branching in cross-slot flow: the formation of “W cusps”. Rheol Acta 48. 551–561 (2009)
• J. Stasiak, M.R. Mackley, A.M. Squires, V. Castelletto, I.W Dynamics of shear-induced orientation transitions in block copolymers. Soft Matter, 6. 1941-1947 (2010)
• T.D.Lord, L. Scelsi, D.G. Hassell, M.R. Mackley, J. Embery, D Auhl and O.G.Harlen The matching of 3D Rolie-Poly viscoelastic numerical simulations with experimental polymer melt flow within a slit and a cross-slot geometry. Journal of Rheology 54, 2. 355-373 (2010)
• M.R.Mackley and D.G.Hassell The Multipass rheometer; a review Part 1 , Part 2 Journal of Non Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 166, 9-10, 421-456 (2011)
• D.Auhl, D.M.Hoyle, D.Hassell, T.D.Lord, M.R.Mackley, O.G.Harleen, T.C.B.Mcleish Cross-slot extensional rheometry and steady state extensional response of long chain branched polymer melts. J. Rheology. 55, 875- 901 (2011)
• D. G. Hassell • T. D. Lord , L. Scelsi , D. H. Klein , D. Auhl , O. G. Harlen , T. C. B. McLeish and M. R. Mackley The effect of boundary curvature on the stress response of linear and branched polyethylenes in a contraction–expansion flow Rheologica Acta. 50, 675–689 (2011)
• M.R.Mackley. Inventing and Developing Scientific Apparatus .British Society of Rheology Bulletin 53, 3 68-80 December (2012)