An apparatus for measuring the rheological properties of dental materials

An indirect extrusion capillary viscometer has been developed. This has been tested for nonsetting Newtonian fluids and was found to give results close to, but slightly lower than the actual viscosity. The same apparatus has been successfully applied to a non-Newtonian fluid to determine the dependence of viscosity on shear rate. The technique described should meet the requirements for assessing the rheological characteristics important in the mixing and setting of dental materials. The developed viscometer must be coupled with a sensitive mechanical testing machine capable of an adequate range of crosshead speeds that can be changed rapidly. By obtaining force vs time curves at different shear rates for setting materials, viscosity can be calculated as a function of time. Also, the viscosity at any given time during the setting process can be calculated as a function of shear rate. This chould be of aid in the interpretation of changes in rheological properties during setting of dental materials.