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Surface tension of viscous biopolymer solutions measured using the du Nouy ring method and the drop weight methods

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Abstract

The discrepancy of the existing literature data on the surface tension values of biopolymer solutions could be affected by the measurement technique. The aim of the study was to compare the surface tension values of biopolymer solutions, measured using the du Nouy ring method and the drop weight methods (Harkins–Brown correction factors method and the LCP coefficient method). Four biopolymers were chosen (sodium alginate, carboxymethyl cellulose, xanthan gum and pectin) and the surface tensions of the solutions were measured as a function of biopolymer concentration. The surface tension was found to increase with biopolymer concentration when measured using the du Nouy ring method. On the other hand, the drop weight methods gave an opposite trend. The results verified the discrepancy of the existing literature data. The error may be caused by the correction factors calculation and the solution viscosity when the du Nouy ring method was used. The LCP coefficient method which is independent of correction factors and liquid properties is proposed for measurement of the surface tension of viscous biopolymer solutions.

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Abbreviations

Ψ :

Correction factor of ring method

ρ :

Density (g/ml)

Ψ(r/V 1/3 ) :

Drop weight correction factor in function of (r/V 1/3)

G :

Gravitational force (981 cm/s2)

C 2 :

Linear coefficients of quadratic equation between drop weight and dripping tip radius

m :

Mass of falling drop (g)

F max :

Maximum pull force (N)

r :

Radius of dripping tip (cm)

R′ :

Radius of du Nouy ring wire (cm)

R :

Radius of du Nouy ring (cm)

γ :

Surface tension (mN/m)

V :

Volume of a detached drop (cm3)

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Faculty of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Malaysia (Kuantan, Malaysia) for providing the facility to use the du Nouy ring tensiometer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Bioprocess Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Kompleks Pusat Pengajian Jejawi 3, 02600, Arau, Perlis, Malaysia

    Boon-Beng Lee

  2. School of Engineering, Monash University, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 46150, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia

    Eng-Seng Chan

  3. Centre of Materials and Mineral, School of Engineering and Information Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 88999, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

    Pogaku Ravindra

  4. Department of Health Sciences, Exova Canada Inc., Mississauga, ON, L5K 1B3, Canada

    Tanveer Ahmad Khan

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  1. Boon-Beng Lee
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  2. Eng-Seng Chan
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Correspondence to Boon-Beng Lee.

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Lee, BB., Chan, ES., Ravindra, P. et al. Surface tension of viscous biopolymer solutions measured using the du Nouy ring method and the drop weight methods. Polym. Bull. 69, 471–489 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-012-0782-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-012-0782-2

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