GELNORM^® - RVN is an instrument for the automatic determination of the pot life of reaction resins based on the measurement of the relative viscosity. Applications include:

• Unsaturated polyster resins    
• Silicone resins
• Epoxy resins    
• Polysulfide rubbers
• Polyurethane resins    
• Silicone rubbers
• Acrylate resins

GELNORM® - RVN can be used for structurally viscous, thixotropic and very slow hardening reaction resins. Highly filled systems such as primers and fillers can be tested with this instrument as well as adhesives.

The measurement of the viscosity increase follows in general the DIN 16 945, page 1 point 6.1. According to this standard, the time is determined to reach an agreed upon viscosity limit. This limit is depending on the handling and working process of the resin and shall be determined by producer and user.

The tests with GELNORM® - RVN are performed automatically and under standardized and reproducible conditions. The change of viscosity in the sample is determined by the power increase required by a periodically rotating spindle probe. All results remain stored and can be reprinted until the next experiment is started. Using a special program, the data can be transmitted to a computer for further data analysis using MS-EXCEL. The new Online Software has more possibilities to describe your test and it shows also the graph directly.

Five different viscosity limiting values can be preselected and, hence, individual pot life’s or processing times can be determined simply and without plotting the whole curing experiment.
In order not to influence the structure of the sample during the measurement, the instrument operates with only short measurement cycles (3 sec) and interval cycles the length of which can be adjusted between 0 sec and 120 min.

For the simultaneous determination of the temperature in addition to the relative viscosity, the GELNORM ®-Therm-Box I (ref. 160.70) with an attached Ni-Cr-Ni thermocouple is connected to the control unit. The thermocouple is inserted into the reaction resin together with the probe at the beginning of the test.

GELNORM® - RVN was especially developed for the determination of pot life. Its performance and accuracy is designed for this purpose.