Detail

Keywords

Hemorheology; Hemostasis; Materials Testing; Rheology

Research group(s)

• Rheology Lab
  Members:
  Ursula Windberger

Research interests

We learn from biological systems and apply the gained results to technical systems and vice versa. See here the curves gained from blood compared to nanofiller reinforced resins. 1. Biological materials: we gathered several comparative blood rheology data, both, from husbandry, and from exotic animals. Due to its fluidity, blood is tested in double gap cylinders or large cone-plate symmetries. We analyse blood and its components in rotation and oscillation. Indeed, we are still searching for the zeroviscosity of blood… Being your cooperation partner, we test each viscoelastic biological material of your choice that fits into our measuring systems and that is able to stay in close contact to the rotating or oscillating surface. Specific tissue architecture or the material´s change during shear, however, can result in inhomogeneity of the applied shear field throughout the test material. If you want to collaborate, please contact us and discuss with us. 2. Technical materials: we characterize polymer resins containing different kind of fillers.

Techniques, methods & infrastructure

Rheometers (Physica MCR series, Anton Paar, Graz, Austria) for the characterisation of viscoelastic materials. Different shear geometries for gels and liquids, Rheo-Optik. Viscosity, thixotropy by 3-ITT, storage (G´) and loss modulus (G´´), flow point, yield point, time- and stress-dependent stabilisation of materials. Kinetic tests (f.i. gelation, glass transition). Ectacytometer (Lorrca, Mechatronics, Netherland) for the measurement of RBC elongation with shear stress, Myrenne aggregometer (Roetgen, Germany) for RBC aggregation, rolling ball viscometer (AMVn, Anton Paar, Graz) for Newtonian liquids, LS30 viscometer (Contraves, Zurich, Switzerland).

Grants

• "Turbocomp" - Nano-verstärkete Composites für Turbinenanwendungen (project partner) (2015)
  Source of Funding: FFG (Austrian Research Promotion Agency), TAKE OFF
  Principal Investigator
• "BII_NACO" - Bio-Inspired Ultra Light-Weight Nanocomposite Materials for Application to Large and Gossamer Structures in Space (project partner) (2012)
  Source of Funding: FFG (Austrian Research Promotion Agency), ASAP (Austrian Space Applications Programme)
  Principal Investigator

Selected publications

1. Windberger, U. et al., 2018. Temperature dependency of whole blood viscosity and red cell properties in desert ungulates: Studies on scimitar-horned oryx and dromedary camel. Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, 69(4), pp.533-543. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/CH-189204.
2. Dibiasi, C. et al., 2018. Viscoelasticity and structure of blood clots generated in-vitro by rheometry: A comparison between human, horse, rat, and camel. Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, 69(4), pp.515-531. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/CH-189203.
3. Windberger, U. et al., 2014. Hemorheology in experimental research: is it necessary to consider blood fluidity differences in the laboratory rat? Laboratory Animals, 49(2), pp.142-152. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0023677214555783.
4. Singer, G. et al., 2017. Processing of Carbon Nanotubes and Carbon Nanofibers towards High Performance Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers. Key Engineering Materials, 742, pp.31-37. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.742.31.
5. Parshin, D.V. et al., 2018. On the Impact of Flow-Diverters on the Hemodynamics of Human Cerebral Aneurysms. Journal of Applied Mechanics and Technical Physics, 59(6), pp.963-970. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1134/S0021894418060019.