The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 04, 1990
Filed:
Oct. 17, 1989
Samuel Schurch, Calgary, CA;
University of Calgary, Calgary, CA;
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for determining the surface tension between a gas and a liquid, and wherein the surface tension of a film established on the surface of a bubble in a medium may be calculated. A liquid medium such as an aqueous medium is provided in a chamber. The container is constructed so that an air bubble may be formed in the liquid medium in the chamber and a film of a material, such as a surfactant material, can then be formed at the air-liquid interface. The chamber is also constructed so that the pressure of the liquid medium may be varied. On increasing the pressure of the liquid medium, the bubble volume and its surface area are reduced. Thus, the interfacial film is compressed, and alternatively, when the pressure of the liquid medium is reduced, the film is expanded by the expanding of the bubble. The chamber provides a complete enclosure so that the liquid medium and the surfactant are not exposed to the atmosphere. The surface tension can then be determined on recording the shape of the bubble by way of a computer calculation. Dynamic as well as static surface tension vs area relations can be obtained by adjusting the compression and expansion cycling speed. The invention is especially suitable to study surface active components relating to pulmonary surfactant because the bubble is leak proof and thus mimics the situation in the lung.