Device for direct measurement of dynamic viscoelastic properties of solid-state materials at frequencies higher than 1 kHz

Viscoelastic (VE) materials are widely used in daily life. For the effective utilization of VE materials, it is necessary to know their viscoelasticity with accuracy over a wide range of frequencies, especially for high frequencies. Currently, the viscoelasticity of solid-state materials is directly measured only in the low-frequency range; for high frequencies, it is estimated based on the time-temperature superposition (TTS) principle. However, it is generally recognized that the TTS principle is suitable only for estimating the viscoelasticity of rheologically simple materials for temperatures within a limited range that is higher than the glass-transition temperature. In this paper, we propose a device that can directly measure the shear modulus and tan δ values of solid-state VE materials at high frequencies. We also propose a method for compensating for the shear deformation mode resonance of VE materials based on the mass of the moving part, to gain a more accurate understanding of viscoelasticity in the high-frequency range, and discuss the causes of errors in the compensation method. Finally, we report the VE properties of natural rubber (NR 65 IRHD) measured using the developed device and compensation method, and compare the measured results with those obtained using commercial VE measurement equipment.