The CSC Tensiometers, Bostwick Consistometer and
the Fungilab Viscometer each test a different aspect of a fluid’s molecular bonds. The tensiometer tests the strength of the molecular bonds at the surface of a liquid. Viscometers test the friction between molecules in a fluid. The consistometer provides an empirical measurement of how strongly molecules in a fluid will hold together under the combined weight of gravity and the molecules in the layers above them.
Although they all deal with molecular bonds, surface tension, consistency and viscosity are not interchangeable measurements. There is no conversion factor that translates a surface tension measurement to consistency, or a reading from the consistometer into viscosity. Each measurement is unique, and is taken using different methods.
The Fungilab Viscometer tests the viscosity of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids by measuring the torque required to turn a spindle at a known speed in a fluid sample. This type of viscometer can be used to predict how non-Newtonian fluids will behave in different situations. The viscosity of fluids changes with alterations in temperature, and for non-Newtonian fluids it also changes depending on the amount of force used on the fluid and/or the amount of time a fluid is subjected to a force.
The Master Series Viscometers are now available for purchase through the CSC Scientific online store.
CSC Scientific Company, Inc. manufactures and distributes laboratory equipment for quality control, production, and product development in the areas of moisture, particle size, surface tension, viscosity and consistency. The company was founded in 1889 and is based in Fairfax, Virginia.