| 摘要 |
A thermal-gradient osmometer includes a substrate (20) spanning two independently variable temperature zones (21, 22) separated by a gap (23), and a plurality of sample rows (24a-24d) provided on or in the substrate (20). The zones (21, 22) establish a thermal gradient across the substrate (20). In operation, an unknown solution whose phase transition temperature is desired is provided in a first sample row. Next, a first and a second solution having respectively, higher and lower phase transition temperatures than the unknown solution are placed in a second and third sample rows, respectively. The three sample rows are then exposed to the thermal gradient so as to cause a portion of the three solutions to undergo a phase transformation while generating respective first, second and third solid-liquid interfaces in their respective sample rows. The phase transition temperature of the unknown solution is determined based on the position of the third interface relative to the first and second interfaces.
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