An acoustic dielectric and mechanical spectrometer

Analyst. 2012 Jun 21;137(12):2846-51. doi: 10.1039/c2an35202h. Epub 2012 May 10.

Abstract

In this report, the dielectric constant of glycerol solutions (0-70% (w/w)) and the mechanical transitions of poly(2-hydroxylethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) films (600-800 nm, 1.5-10 mol% cross-linker) have been investigated by the magnetic acoustic resonance sensor (MARS), which is an electrode-free acoustic sensor and operates over a continuous frequency spectrum (6-200 MHz). When a glycerol solution was loaded, the response of the MARS decayed exponentially as the operating frequency was increased. The decay rate against frequency as a function of the glycerol concentration reflects the change of the dielectric property of the glycerol solutions. In addition, mechanical relaxation of the poly(2-hydroxylethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) film has been observed on the MARS and the corresponding viscoelastic transition frequency has been estimated. The viscoelastic transition frequency increased as the polymer was more highly cross-linked. The MARS system behaved as a dielectric and mechanical spectrometer, monitoring the electrical and mechanical properties of viscoelastic materials or on the solid-liquid interfaces simultaneously, which has prospective application in studies of biomaterials, molecular interactions and drug deliveries.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acoustics*
  • Elasticity
  • Electric Impedance
  • Glycerol / chemistry
  • Mechanical Phenomena*
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Spectrum Analysis*
  • Time Factors
  • Viscosity

Substances

  • Polymers
  • Glycerol