We propose and study methods to improve tactile intuition for linear viscoelastic fluids.This includes (i) Pipkin mapping grease gun ww2 reproduction with amplitude based on stress rather than strain or strain-rate to map perception to rheological test conditions; and (ii) data reduction of linear viscoelastic functions to generate multi-dimensional Ashby-style cross-property plots.Two model materials are used, specifically chosen to be easily accessible and safe to handle, with variable elastic, viscous, and relaxation time distributions.
First, a commercially available polymer melt known as physical therapy putty, reminiscent of Silly Putty, designed for a range of user experiences (extra-soft to extra-firm).Second, a transiently cross-linked aqueous polymer solution (Polyvinyl alcohol-Sodium Tetraborate, PVA-Borax).Readers are encouraged to procure or produce the samples themselves to build intuition.
The methods studied here reduce the fifty fifty truckee complexity of the function-valued viscoelastic data, identifying what key features we sense and see when handling these materials, and provide a framework for tactile intuition, material selection, and material design for linear viscoelastic fluids generally.