Measurement of electro-kinetic properties of a solution

摘要

This invention is concerned with a method and apparatus for measuring the electro-kinetic properties of a liquid which may be a mixture such as a slurry of particles, or a dispersion of droplets. Electrodes are placed in the liquid and an apparatus is provided for applying an alternating electrical potential to these electrodes. The electric field from this alternating potential acts upon the charged elements in the liquid, resulting in the generation of sound at the frequency of the applied electrical potential. By placing a conventional acoustic transducer in a spaced relationship to the electrodes, the acoustic signal is detected and measured. The amplitude of the acoustical signal will be a function of the electro-kinetic properties of the particles or emulsion droplets in the liquid. In its preferred form, the electrodes that are placed in the liquid have a spacial separation of one-half wave length, or odd integer multiples of half wave length of the sound which they generate. Coupled to the receiving transducer is a receiver that will amplify the signal to convenient levels. With this device a wide range of electro-kinetic measurements become possible even in highly concentrated systems.