Mixing of Highly Viscous Liquids by Stirring

Diffusion and mixing of low-molecular solutes in high-polymer liquids of high viscosity

Abstract

In this study, the effect on the achievement of homogeneity of the molecular diffusion of low-molecular solute in stirred liquid having approximately Newtonian flow characteristics was examined experimentally.
An aqueous solution of PVA, in which diffusion of KCl easily takes place, and an aqueous solution of corn syrup, in which it hardly diffuses at all, were used. Mixing rate of the KCl component in both stirred liquids was measured by the electric conductivity method.
From the results, it was found that α was independent of n in the aqueous corn syrup solution and remained constant in the mixing rate equation :
n^α·T_M=const.
In the PVA aqueous solution, the above equation is found to hold when mixing rates are high, while in the range of low mixing rates the value of α is found to be less than that at high mixing rates.