Rheology for Sustainable Manufacturing Technologies

The objective of the RheoMaTe project is to advance the understanding of the flow and rheological properties of biomaterials, with a particular focus on fiber-based materials. These materials, essential for creating sustainable alternatives in industries like composites, packaging, and textiles, are increasingly processed at high solids content to enhance efficiency. However, processing fiber suspensions remains challenging even at moderate solids content due to their multi-component nature, leading to complex non-Newtonian flow properties and viscoelastic behavior. Existing experimental methods often lack the precision needed for these materials, particularly for real-time monitoring, limiting the development of accurate material and computational models. RheoMaTe addresses these gaps by creating innovative rheological measurement techniques, developing robust material models, and integrating them with advanced computational frameworks. In the RheoMaTe project, new measurement geometries are being developed for rotational rheometers specifically designed for fiber suspension and fiber foams, along with novel methods for measuring the extensional rheology of these fluids. The project also supports the development of online rheology measurement devices. Additionally, new material models are being developed through advanced data analysis methods, including AI-assisted analysis, to describe the rheological behavior of fiber suspensions and fiber foams across a wide range of solids contents and fiber types. These material models will then be used to develop new CFD models for analyzing the flow of these materials in complex geometries.