Method and system for analyzing a gelation reaction by utilizing a piezoelectric resonator
First Claim
1. A method for analyzing a gelation reaction by utilizing a viscosity measuring system comprised of a piezoelectric resonator for detecting the viscosity of liquid, the gelation reaction being a reaction involving a viscoelastic change, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) contacting the piezoelectric resonator with the liquid;
(b) adding said particles into the liquid to amplify a variation of a resonator characteristic which varies in accordance with gelation of the liquid; and
(c) monitoring the resonant frequency shift indicating the shift from resonant frequency measured in air while allowing the gelation reaction to proceed.
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Abstract
A viscosity measuring system comprises a cell containing gelable liquid and a piezoelectric resonator mounted in the cell. The piezoelectric resonator has a prescribed characteristic, such as electrical resistance or resonant frequency, which varies in accordance with the gelating of the liquid. Solid particles suspended in the liquid are deposited on the piezoelectric resonator during gelating of the liquid to amplify the prescribed resonator characteristic. A measuring circuit measures the variation of the resonator characteristic to thereby determine the gelation time of the liquid.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for analyzing a gelation reaction by utilizing a viscosity measuring system comprised of a piezoelectric resonator for detecting the viscosity of liquid, the gelation reaction being a reaction involving a viscoelastic change, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) contacting the piezoelectric resonator with the liquid; (b) adding said particles into the liquid to amplify a variation of a resonator characteristic which varies in accordance with gelation of the liquid; and (c) monitoring the resonant frequency shift indicating the shift from resonant frequency measured in air while allowing the gelation reaction to proceed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for analyzing a chemical reaction by utilizing a viscosity measuring system comprised of a piezoelectric resonator for detecting the viscosity of liquid, the chemical reaction being a reaction involving a viscoelastic change, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) contacting the piezoelectric resonator with the liquid; (b) adding solid particles into the liquid to amplify a variation of a resonator characteristic which varies in accordance with gelation of the liquid; and (c) monitoring a resistance change in an electrical equivalent circuit of the piezoelectric resonator while allowing the chemical reaction to proceed.
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7. A viscosity measuring system comprising:
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a sensor comprised of a piezoelectric resonator for detecting the viscosity of liquid; measuring means coupled to the piezoelectric resonator for measuring an index of the viscosity of the liquid by monitoring characteristics of the piezoelectric resonator; and a cell for holding therein the liquid, the piezoelectric resonator being mounted at the bottom of the cell so that only one side of the piezoelectric resonator comes in contact with the liquid, and the liquid having solid particles suspended therein for determining gelation time of the liquid by monitoring the stop of sedimentation of the particles on the piezoelectric resonator. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A gelation reaction measuring system, comprising:
- a cell containing gelable liquid;
a piezoelectric resonator mounted in the cell at the bottom thereof so that only one side of the piezoelectric resonator comes in contact with the liquid, the piezoelectric resonator having a prescribed characteristic which varies in accordance with the gelating of the liquid;
solid particles suspended in the liquid and depositable on the piezoelectric resonator during gelating of the liquid to amplify the variation of the resonator characteristic; and
measuring means coupled to the piezoelectric resonator for measuring the variation of the resonator characteristic to determine the gelation time of the liquid. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- a cell containing gelable liquid;
Specification