Fringe analysis by phase shifting technique for birefringent fluid studies

We have developed a new optical method to evaluate the tensio-optic behaviour of a fluid in a Couette cell. This method is based on the analysis of the phenomenon of light scattered from a laser beam passing through a sheared fluid. A phase shifting technique was added to increase the measurement accuracy and the range of possible applications. For example, with this modification the problem of low shear stresses can be analysed. This improvement enables measurements to be made even if there is less than one visible fringe. This method also allows the determination of local stresses within the fluid. For a classical Newtonian or shear thinning fluid, a linear correlation between fringe order and shear stresses is observed and the tensio-optic coefficient may then be calculated. A yield stress thixotropic fluid is also analysed to demonstrate the relevance of the developed method. This test shows two distinctive behaviours with two different tensio-optic coefficients relative to a solid state and a liquid state.