Suspensions particle size distribution

Rowell and co-workers [62-64] have developed an electrophoretic fingerprint to uniquely characterize the properties of charged colloidal particles. They present contour diagrams of the electrophoretic mobility as a function of the suspension pH and specific conductance, pX. These fingerprints illustrate anomalies and specific characteristics of the charged colloidal surface. A more sophisticated electroacoustic measurement provides the particle size distribution and potential in a polydisperse suspension. Not limited to dilute suspensions, in this experiment, one characterizes the sonic waves generated by the motion of particles in an alternating electric field. O Brien and co-workers have an excellent review of this technique [65]. 

Suspension Polymers. Methacrylate suspension polymers are characterized by thek composition and particle-size distribution. Screen analysis is the most common method for determining particle size. Melt-flow characteristics under various conditions of heat and pressure are important for polymers intended for extmsion or injection molding appHcations. Suspension polymers prepared as ion-exchange resins are characterized by thek ion-exchange capacity, density (apparent and wet), solvent sweUing, moisture holding capacity, porosity, and salt-spHtting characteristics (105). 

Suspension Polymerization. At very low levels of stabilizer, eg, 0.1 wt %, the polymer does not form a creamy dispersion that stays indefinitely suspended in the aqueous phase but forms small beads that setde and may be easily separated by filtration (qv) (69). This suspension or pearl polymerization process has been used to prepare polymers for adhesive and coating appHcations and for conversion to poly(vinyl alcohol). Products in bead form are available from several commercial suppHers of PVAc resins. Suspension polymerizations are carried out with monomer-soluble initiators predominantly, with low levels of stabilizers. Suspension copolymerization processes for the production of vinyl acetate—ethylene bead products have been described and the properties of the copolymers determined (70). Continuous tubular polymerization of vinyl acetate in suspension (71,72) yields stable dispersions of beads with narrow particle size distributions at high yields. 

The two steps in the removal of a particle from the Hquid phase by the filter medium are the transport of the suspended particle to the surface of the medium and interaction with the surface to form a bond strong enough to withstand the hydraulic stresses imposed on it by the passage of water over the surface. The transport step is influenced by such physical factors as concentration of the suspension, medium particle size, medium particle-size distribution, temperature, flow rate, and flow time. These parameters have been considered in various empirical relationships that help predict filter performance based on physical factors only (8,9). Attention has also been placed on the interaction between the particles and the filter surface. The mechanisms postulated are based on adsorption (qv) or specific chemical interactions (10). 

In order to be consistent with normal usage, the particle-size distribution when this parameter is used should Be a straight line between approximately 10 percent cumulative weight and 90 percent cumulative weight. By giving the coefficient of variation ana the mean particle diameter, a description of the particle-size distribution is obtained which is normally satisfactory for most industrial purposes. If the product is removed from a mixed-suspension ciystallizer, this coeffi-... 

Height of suspension is the height to which solids are suspended in the tank. It is commonly expressed as the percent of solids of each particle size fractions at various liquid heights off bottom, or as the particle size distribution in samples taken from various points. 

It is found that the viscosity of a paste made from a fixed polymer/plasticiser ratio depends to a great extent on the particle size and size distribution. In essence, in order to obtain a low-viscosity paste, the less the amount of plasticiser required to fill the voids between particles the better. Any additional plasticiser present is then available to act as a lubricant for the particles, facilitating their general mobility in suspension. Thus in general a paste polymer in which the pastes have a wide particle size distribution (but within the limit set by problems of plasticiser absorption and settling out, so that particles pack efficiently, will... 

Particle size distribution Design of treatment or recovery plant see Suspensions in gases... 

Two-phase suspension systems produce beaded products with broader particle-size distribution (e.g., 1-50 /rm). The microspherical particles usually need to be classified repeatedly to reduce the particle-size distribution in order to improve the resolution and efficiency in the separation for use in chromatography. The actual classification process depends on the size range involved, the nature of the beaded product, and its intended applications. Relatively large (>50 /rm) and mechanically stable particles can be sieved easily in the dry state, whereas small particles are processed more conveniently in the wet state. For very fine particles (<20 /rm), classification is accomplished by wet sedimentation, countflow setting, countflow centrifugation, or air classification. 

New templated polymer support materials have been developed for use as re versed-phase packing materials. Pore size and particle size have not usually been precisely controlled by conventional suspension polymerization. A templated polymerization is used to obtain controllable pore size and particle-size distribution. In this technique, hydrophilic monomers and divinylbenzene are formulated and filled into pores in templated silica material, at room temperature. After polymerization, the templated silica material is removed by base hydrolysis. The surface of the polymer may be modified in various ways to obtain the desired functionality. The particles are useful in chromatography, adsorption, and ion exchange and as polymeric supports of catalysts (39,40). 

Each of the PLgel individual pore sizes is produced hy suspension polymerization, which yields a fairly diverse range of particle sizes. For optimum performance in a chromatographic column the particle size distribution of the beads should be narrow this is achieved by air classification after the cross-linked beads have been washed and dried thoroughly. Similarly, for consistent column performance, the particle size distribution is critical and is another quality control aspect where both the median particle size and the width of the distribution are specified. The efficiency of the packed column is extremely sensitive to the median particle size, as predicted by the van Deemter equation (4), whereas the width of the particle size distribution can affect column operating pressure and packed bed stability. 

When a beam of light is intercepted by a turbid medium, part of the incident light is absorbed, part is directly reflected, and part is scattered. The attentuation produced is a function of the concn, particle size distribution and color of the suspension... 

Fluorescent lamps are manufactured by squirting a suspension of phosphor particles in an ethyl cellulose lacquer upon the inner surface of a vertical glass tube. Once the lacquer drains off, a film of peuticles is formed. The lacquer is then burned off, leaving a layer of phosphor particles. Electrodes are sealed on the tube is evacuated Hg and inert gas is added and the lamp ends are added to finish the lamp. Lamp brightness and lifetime are dependent upon the particle size distribution of the phosphor particles. The number of small particles is critical since they are low in brightness output... 

One of the most difficult parenteral dosage forms to formulate is a suspension. It requires a delicate balance of variables to formulate a product that is easily resuspended and can be ejected through an 18-to 21-gauge needle through its shelf life. To achieve these properties it is necessary to select and carefully maintain particle size distribution, zeta potential, and rheological properties, as well as the manufacturing steps that control wettability and surface tension. The requirements for, limitations in, and differences between the design of injectable suspensions and other suspensions have been previously summarized [17b, 18,19]. 

JR Crison, GL Amidon. The effect of particle size distribution on drug dissolution A mathematical model for predicting dissolution and absorption of suspensions in the small intestine. Pharm Res 10 S170, 1992. 

Example 15-1 Determine the pressure gradient (in psi/ft) required to transport a slurry at 300 gpm through a 4 in. sch 40 pipeline. The slurry contains 50% (by weight) solids (SG = 2.5) in water. The slurry contains a bimodal particle size distribution, with half the particles below 100 pm and the other half about 2000 gm. The suspension of fines is stable and constitutes a pseudohomogeneous non-Newtonian vehicle in which the larger particles are suspended. The vehicle can be described as a Bingham plastic with a limiting viscosity of 30 cP and a yield stress of 55 dyn/cm2. 

The flow properties of suspensions are complex. The apparent viscosity at a given shear rate increases with increasing solids concentration and rises extremely rapidly when the volume fraction of solids reaches about 50 per cent. The flow properties also depend on the particle size distribution and the particle shape, as well as the flow properties of the suspending liquid. 

This is a universally applicable instrument for determining particle-size distributions of all kinds of solids which can be analysed either in suspension in a measuring cell or dry by feeding through a solid particle feeder. In the Fritsch Analysette 22 laser diffraction apparatus the measured particle-size distribution is displayed on the monitor in various forms, either as a frequency distribution, as a summary curve or in tabular form and can be subsequently recorded on a plotter, stored on hard disk or transferred to a central computer via an interface. The time required for one measurement is approximately 2min. 

Information on particle size may be obtained from the sedimentation of particles in dilute suspensions. The use of pipette techniques can be rather tedious and care is required to ensure that measurements are sufficiently precise. Instruments such as X-ray or photo-sedimentometers serve to automate this method in a non-intrusive manner. The attenuation of a narrow collimated beam of radiation passing horizontally through a sample of suspension is related to the mass of solid material in the path of the beam. This attenuation can be monitored at a fixed height in the suspension, or can be monitored as the beam is raised at a known rate. This latter procedure serves to reduce the time required to obtain sufficient data from which the particle size distribution may be calculated. This technique is limited to the analysis of particles whose settling behaviour follows Stokes law, as discussed in Section 3.3.4, and to conditions where any diffusive motion of particles is negligible. 

There are two important effects due to particle sedimentation which may affect the rate of filtration. First, if the sediment particles are all settling at approximately the same rate, as is frequently the case in a concentrated suspension in which the particle size distribution is not very wide, a more rapid build-up of particles will occur on an... 

The narrower the particle size distribution, the higher in theory is the potential theoretical plate number. A rough sieving is achieved by a water flow, air flow, or a vibration method. A common sieving method is Hamiltonian water flow (Figure 3.4). The particle distribution can be controlled within + 1 jum by this method. A slurry of stationary phase material is allowed to float in the cylinder, and a solvent flows from the bottom to the top. The smaller and lighter particles float to the top of the cylinder and the larger and heavier particles sink to the bottom. The required particles are collected at the top of the cylinder. The selection of suspension solvent and control of the temperature are important. 

Figures 13.23a and b show the PdO particle size distribution of PdO-supported catalysts prepared from an acidic hydrosol (neutralization of palladium nitrate solution by addition of soda) and a basic one (neutralization of soda by addition of palladium nitrate). Comparisons with the corresponding histograms of the initial suspensions (Figs. 7b and 9b), show that the distributions are not significantly modified. Only a very slight increase of the standard deviation of the dispersion values is observed...

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