Tubeless siphon of Poly(ethylene oxide) laden with nanoparticles

Daniel D. Joseph

University of Minnesota, August 2003


      The movies show that the cleaning properties of the high molecular weight viscoelastic liquids are greatly enhanced when the liquids are loaded with nanoparticles.

      Movie 1 and 2 show the tubeless siphon of a 0.5% by weight aqueous Poly(ethylene oxide) solution. The molecular weight of Poly(ethylene oxide) is 4 million and no nanoparticles are present in the solution. The siphon breaks before all the polymer is sucked out of the beaker and a puddle of liquid is left behind.

 
Movie 1
 
Movie 2
 

      Movie 3 shows the tubeless siphon of Poly(ethylene oxide) laden with nanoparticles. Every thing is the same with movie 1 and 2 except that 1% by volume 15-nanometer colloidal Silica particles are added. All the mixture is sucked out of the beaker.


Movie 3

      Movie 4 and 5 show the cleaning of an aluminum substrate using the 0.5% Poly(ethylene oxide) solution laden with 1% nanoparticles. In movie 4, the nanoparticle-laden solution is completely sucked out. Movie 5 shows the cleaning of 600-850 micron particles from the substrate using the nanoparticle-laden solution. Some 600-850 micron particles in the corner are not sucked out.

 
Movie 4
 
Movie 5
 

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