RAPID INVESTIGATION OF SEDIMENTATION PHENOMENA BY VIBRATIONAL FORCE-FIELD

A new method for the rapid investigation of sedimentation phenomena of fine particles is developed by using the force due to a vibrational acceleration. The small displacement of the particle with respect to the wall of the container, which is produced by the vibration, is measured by the interference between the light scattered by the particle and that of the cell wall. The interference is detected as a beat note in the scattered-light intensity, and displayed as a time-autocorrelation of the photocurrent, the analysis of which gives the sedimentation coefficient and the dispersion.