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The History of Interferometry for Measuring Diffusion Coefficients

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Quod fluit in unam partem fluit: nemo aquam fluere dicit, si tantum intra se movetur, sed si aliquot fertur; potest ergo aliquid moveri et non fluere et e contrario non potest fluere nisi in unam partem.

(Seneca, Naturales quaestiones. V 1,4).

(What is moving to some direction does flow: nobody can say that water flows if it is moving only inside itself but only if it is running somewhere. Therefore (something) a liquid can move but not flow and can flow if it is moving to some direction).

Abstract

The history of the development and use of interferometric and other optical techniques for the measurements of diffusion coefficients in liquid mixtures is reviewed. The greatest emphasis is on Gouy and Rayleigh interferometry because they have been extensively developed to yield the most precise results.

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Notes

  1. Editor’s note: the 45 and 35 years ago refer to when this lecture was presented in 1999.

  2. Editor’s note: Section 2 refers to a section of the initial publication of this history, as described at the bottom of the first page of this article, which is not included here.

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  1. Livermore, CA, USA

    Donald G. Miller

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Correspondence to Donald G. Miller.

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The author Donald G. Miller is deceased and further correspondence will be addressed by Joseph A. Rard at e-mail address: solution_chemistry2@comcast.net.

© Accademia delle Scienze Fisiche e Matematiche - Napoli, 2007. From Rend. Acc. Sc. Fis. Mat. Napoli Vol. LXXIV (2007) pp. 192–211, ISSN:0370-3568, ISBN 978-88-207-4232-4. Reprinted by permission of Liguori Editore, Napoli.

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Miller, D.G. The History of Interferometry for Measuring Diffusion Coefficients. J Solution Chem 43, 6–25 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10953-014-0132-0

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