The centrifugal viscometer

Area of Science:

• Fluid Dynamics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Accurate viscosity measurement is crucial in various scientific and industrial fields.
• Traditional viscometers often require larger sample volumes and longer measurement times.
• There is a need for portable, cost-effective, and rapid viscosity measurement tools for low-volume liquids.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel centrifugal viscometer capable of measuring the viscosity of micro-volume liquid samples.
• To design a portable and low-cost instrument for rapid viscosity determination.
• To assess the performance of the developed viscometer against conventional methods.

Main Methods:

• Development of a centrifugal platform comprising a disk and motor.
• Utilizing centrifugal, Coriolis, and viscosity-induced drag forces to induce liquid flow deflection.
• Determining liquid viscosity based on the measured deflection angle of the liquid flow.
• Image analysis or visual inspection for detecting the deflection angle.
• Validation using Newtonian model fluids and comparison with a conventional rotational viscometer.

Main Results:

• The developed centrifugal viscometer successfully measures viscosity of low-volume liquids (25 μl) within 30 seconds.
• Experimental results showed good agreement between the centrifugal viscometer and a conventional rotational viscometer.
• The deflection angle of the liquid flow accurately correlates with viscosity.

Conclusions:

• The centrifugal viscometer offers an inexpensive, easy-to-operate, and portable solution for low-volume liquid viscosity measurement.
• The microfluidic disk's suitability for mass production via injection molding enhances its cost-effectiveness.
• This technology has the potential for widespread application in research, quality control, and field testing.