Accessory for MCR:
Rheo-Iris

Record sample shearing and visualize shear stress distribution

Rheo-Iris enables simultaneous measurement of a material’s rheological and optical responses, providing a direct link between mechanical stress and microstructural evolution. As a sample experiences shear or extensional deformation, regions of anisotropy develop, making the material locally birefringent. When polarized light passes through these anisotropic domains, its polarization state changes due to optical retardance, orientation effects, or even dichroism. The high-speed polarization camera from Photonic Lattice records these changes in real time, capturing the dynamic development of stress, alignment, and relaxation processes within the material.

See what your plate–plate geometry has been hiding

Any sample that is at least partially transparent and compatible with a plate–plate geometry can be analyzed optically. This includes inherently birefringent materials such as liquid crystals, formulations that develop internal stress during drying or curing, and everyday samples that exhibit subtle anisotropy under shear or deformation.

As an add-on to our modular rheometer platform, Rheo-Iris integrates seamlessly with nearly all standard rheological measurement routines. Depending on the selected geometry and optical path, the system can be configured for transmission or reflection imaging, offering versatility for both clear and scattering samples. 

Give extensional tests a visual dimension

Whether you are testing solid bars or probing extensional films, keep full control over environmental conditions. Simply place the camera in front of our convection temperature devices. Traditional DMA provides valuable quantitative insight into a material’s mechanical behavior, but adding Rheo-Iris lets you go beyond bulk values. You can directly see where stress builds up, and how microstructural changes drive the measured response.

For liquids, pairing Rheo-Iris with a capillary extensional system empowers you to visualize the evolution of internal stresses as a filament thins, giving a clearer, more intuitive picture of flow, failure, and relaxation.