Flow behaviour and physical chemistry of bouncing putties and related polymers in view of tectonic laboratory applications

Ruud Weijermars

doi:10.1016/0040-1951(86)90208-8

Flow behaviour and physical chemistry of bouncing putties and related polymers in view of tectonic laboratory applications

Ruud Weijermars^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

297 Scopus citations

Abstract

The initiation of analogue studies of rock flow is stimulated by improving our knowledge of suitable model materials. Bouncing Putties and "Plasticines" are the most frequently used model materials in analogue studies of flow instabilities in deforming rocks. Polydimethyl-siloxane (PDMS) and polyborondimethylsiloxane (PBDMS), both substrates of Bouncing Putty, are introduced as convenient geological model materials. The chemistry of PDMS, PBDMS, Bouncing Putties and "Plasticines" is reviewed. A comprehensive set of instructions and graphs is provided for the manipulation of these model materials. In particular, a high viscosity PDMS produced as an intermediate compound under the code name SGM36 by Dow Corning (Great Britain) opens exciting possibilities for analogue studies of rock flow, because it is perfectly transparent. This allows continuous observation of three-dimensional strain markers during an experiment. The polymeric flow mechanisms are compared with the flow behaviour and crystal plasticity theory of rocks. The flow of natural rocks is taken to be of Reiner-Rivlin type with powers n varying between 1 and 10. Flow curves have been constructed for Bouncing Putties, Plastilinas (cf. Plasticines) and SGM36 (cf. PDMS). These original curves are supplemented with extensive data on similar materials compiled from the literature. The combined data reveal a consistent flow curve pattern for each group of model materials considered. Strain-rate softening of commercially available Bouncing Putties and "Plasticines" at low strain rates can be attributed to the solid filler concentration. The power n, which describes the departure from Newtonian flow, appears to be dependent on the angular filler volume concentration c and is governed by the preliminary equation n = 1-11c + 48c². This finding provides a technique for manipulating liquid polymers to simulate natural rock flow with various powers of n. The (T, P) dependence of the viscosity and thermal properties of PDMS are outlined to stimulate modelling which includes natural (T, P) gradients.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	325-358
Number of pages	34
Journal	Tectonophysics
Volume	124
Issue number	3-4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0040-1951(86)90208-8
State	Published - 15 Apr 1986
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was funded by the Swedish Natural Science Research Council (NFR). Dow Coming Europe Inc. is thanked for providing samples of SGM36 and Dr Peter Clark is particularly thanked for his helpful arrangements and advice. Fellow research students at the Hans Ramberg Tectonic Laboratory of the University of Uppsala Dimitrios Sokoutis, Peter Ronnlund and Pierre Heeroma are thanked for their help with creep measurements. Harro Schmeling is thanked for his keen comments. Professor Christopher J. Talbot of the Institute of Geology and professor Bertil Enoksson and Mrs Elizabeth Enoksson of the Chemical Institute of the University of Uppsala are all thanked for fundamental discussions. The Enokssons are also thanked for determining the temperature dependency of SGM36 viscosity (Fig. 11, curve b). Dr E.J. Bulten of TNO’s Chemical Department in Utrecht, The Netherlands, is thanked for providing various samples for trying to cold-harden SGM36. Jan Outhuis is thanked for the XRD-analysis of Plastilina at the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Miss Kersti Gloersen is sincerely thanked for typing and retyping my manuscript.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geophysics
Earth-Surface Processes

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10.1016/0040-1951(86)90208-8

Cite this

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title = "Flow behaviour and physical chemistry of bouncing putties and related polymers in view of tectonic laboratory applications",

abstract = "The initiation of analogue studies of rock flow is stimulated by improving our knowledge of suitable model materials. Bouncing Putties and {"}Plasticines{"} are the most frequently used model materials in analogue studies of flow instabilities in deforming rocks. Polydimethyl-siloxane (PDMS) and polyborondimethylsiloxane (PBDMS), both substrates of Bouncing Putty, are introduced as convenient geological model materials. The chemistry of PDMS, PBDMS, Bouncing Putties and {"}Plasticines{"} is reviewed. A comprehensive set of instructions and graphs is provided for the manipulation of these model materials. In particular, a high viscosity PDMS produced as an intermediate compound under the code name SGM36 by Dow Corning (Great Britain) opens exciting possibilities for analogue studies of rock flow, because it is perfectly transparent. This allows continuous observation of three-dimensional strain markers during an experiment. The polymeric flow mechanisms are compared with the flow behaviour and crystal plasticity theory of rocks. The flow of natural rocks is taken to be of Reiner-Rivlin type with powers n varying between 1 and 10. Flow curves have been constructed for Bouncing Putties, Plastilinas (cf. Plasticines) and SGM36 (cf. PDMS). These original curves are supplemented with extensive data on similar materials compiled from the literature. The combined data reveal a consistent flow curve pattern for each group of model materials considered. Strain-rate softening of commercially available Bouncing Putties and {"}Plasticines{"} at low strain rates can be attributed to the solid filler concentration. The power n, which describes the departure from Newtonian flow, appears to be dependent on the angular filler volume concentration c and is governed by the preliminary equation n = 1-11c + 48c2. This finding provides a technique for manipulating liquid polymers to simulate natural rock flow with various powers of n. The (T, P) dependence of the viscosity and thermal properties of PDMS are outlined to stimulate modelling which includes natural (T, P) gradients.",

author = "Ruud Weijermars",

note = "Funding Information: This study was funded by the Swedish Natural Science Research Council (NFR). Dow Coming Europe Inc. is thanked for providing samples of SGM36 and Dr Peter Clark is particularly thanked for his helpful arrangements and advice. Fellow research students at the Hans Ramberg Tectonic Laboratory of the University of Uppsala Dimitrios Sokoutis, Peter Ronnlund and Pierre Heeroma are thanked for their help with creep measurements. Harro Schmeling is thanked for his keen comments. Professor Christopher J. Talbot of the Institute of Geology and professor Bertil Enoksson and Mrs Elizabeth Enoksson of the Chemical Institute of the University of Uppsala are all thanked for fundamental discussions. The Enokssons are also thanked for determining the temperature dependency of SGM36 viscosity (Fig. 11, curve b). Dr E.J. Bulten of TNO{\textquoteright}s Chemical Department in Utrecht, The Netherlands, is thanked for providing various samples for trying to cold-harden SGM36. Jan Outhuis is thanked for the XRD-analysis of Plastilina at the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Miss Kersti Gloersen is sincerely thanked for typing and retyping my manuscript.",

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T1 - Flow behaviour and physical chemistry of bouncing putties and related polymers in view of tectonic laboratory applications

AU - Weijermars, Ruud

N1 - Funding Information: This study was funded by the Swedish Natural Science Research Council (NFR). Dow Coming Europe Inc. is thanked for providing samples of SGM36 and Dr Peter Clark is particularly thanked for his helpful arrangements and advice. Fellow research students at the Hans Ramberg Tectonic Laboratory of the University of Uppsala Dimitrios Sokoutis, Peter Ronnlund and Pierre Heeroma are thanked for their help with creep measurements. Harro Schmeling is thanked for his keen comments. Professor Christopher J. Talbot of the Institute of Geology and professor Bertil Enoksson and Mrs Elizabeth Enoksson of the Chemical Institute of the University of Uppsala are all thanked for fundamental discussions. The Enokssons are also thanked for determining the temperature dependency of SGM36 viscosity (Fig. 11, curve b). Dr E.J. Bulten of TNO’s Chemical Department in Utrecht, The Netherlands, is thanked for providing various samples for trying to cold-harden SGM36. Jan Outhuis is thanked for the XRD-analysis of Plastilina at the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Miss Kersti Gloersen is sincerely thanked for typing and retyping my manuscript.

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N2 - The initiation of analogue studies of rock flow is stimulated by improving our knowledge of suitable model materials. Bouncing Putties and "Plasticines" are the most frequently used model materials in analogue studies of flow instabilities in deforming rocks. Polydimethyl-siloxane (PDMS) and polyborondimethylsiloxane (PBDMS), both substrates of Bouncing Putty, are introduced as convenient geological model materials. The chemistry of PDMS, PBDMS, Bouncing Putties and "Plasticines" is reviewed. A comprehensive set of instructions and graphs is provided for the manipulation of these model materials. In particular, a high viscosity PDMS produced as an intermediate compound under the code name SGM36 by Dow Corning (Great Britain) opens exciting possibilities for analogue studies of rock flow, because it is perfectly transparent. This allows continuous observation of three-dimensional strain markers during an experiment. The polymeric flow mechanisms are compared with the flow behaviour and crystal plasticity theory of rocks. The flow of natural rocks is taken to be of Reiner-Rivlin type with powers n varying between 1 and 10. Flow curves have been constructed for Bouncing Putties, Plastilinas (cf. Plasticines) and SGM36 (cf. PDMS). These original curves are supplemented with extensive data on similar materials compiled from the literature. The combined data reveal a consistent flow curve pattern for each group of model materials considered. Strain-rate softening of commercially available Bouncing Putties and "Plasticines" at low strain rates can be attributed to the solid filler concentration. The power n, which describes the departure from Newtonian flow, appears to be dependent on the angular filler volume concentration c and is governed by the preliminary equation n = 1-11c + 48c2. This finding provides a technique for manipulating liquid polymers to simulate natural rock flow with various powers of n. The (T, P) dependence of the viscosity and thermal properties of PDMS are outlined to stimulate modelling which includes natural (T, P) gradients.

AB - The initiation of analogue studies of rock flow is stimulated by improving our knowledge of suitable model materials. Bouncing Putties and "Plasticines" are the most frequently used model materials in analogue studies of flow instabilities in deforming rocks. Polydimethyl-siloxane (PDMS) and polyborondimethylsiloxane (PBDMS), both substrates of Bouncing Putty, are introduced as convenient geological model materials. The chemistry of PDMS, PBDMS, Bouncing Putties and "Plasticines" is reviewed. A comprehensive set of instructions and graphs is provided for the manipulation of these model materials. In particular, a high viscosity PDMS produced as an intermediate compound under the code name SGM36 by Dow Corning (Great Britain) opens exciting possibilities for analogue studies of rock flow, because it is perfectly transparent. This allows continuous observation of three-dimensional strain markers during an experiment. The polymeric flow mechanisms are compared with the flow behaviour and crystal plasticity theory of rocks. The flow of natural rocks is taken to be of Reiner-Rivlin type with powers n varying between 1 and 10. Flow curves have been constructed for Bouncing Putties, Plastilinas (cf. Plasticines) and SGM36 (cf. PDMS). These original curves are supplemented with extensive data on similar materials compiled from the literature. The combined data reveal a consistent flow curve pattern for each group of model materials considered. Strain-rate softening of commercially available Bouncing Putties and "Plasticines" at low strain rates can be attributed to the solid filler concentration. The power n, which describes the departure from Newtonian flow, appears to be dependent on the angular filler volume concentration c and is governed by the preliminary equation n = 1-11c + 48c2. This finding provides a technique for manipulating liquid polymers to simulate natural rock flow with various powers of n. The (T, P) dependence of the viscosity and thermal properties of PDMS are outlined to stimulate modelling which includes natural (T, P) gradients.

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DO - 10.1016/0040-1951(86)90208-8

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ER -

Flow behaviour and physical chemistry of bouncing putties and related polymers in view of tectonic laboratory applications

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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