Experimental study and modeling of hindered one dimensional settling of spherical trifluroethyl methacrylate based polymer particles

Determining the settling behavior of trifluroethyl methacrylate based spherical polymer particles is important in identifying its efficacy as quality control materials in flow cytometry‐based hematology instruments. Settling properties of these polymer particles like settling rate, critical height of the sediment and resuspension time interval changes with particle size, concentration and sample volume. In this study, one dimensional settling of monodispersed polymer spherical particles in water was performed using a Turbiscan Lab spectrophotometer. An empirical settling model based on Richardson and Zaki's analysis for hindered settling was used to determine the different settling properties associated with these polymer particle suspensions. The different settling properties were also determined in terms of particle size, concentration, and sample volume. In summary, the time interval where an external force is applied to effectively resuspend the particles is shorter for larger particles and longer for larger sample volumes and concentrations. Hindered settling and resuspension of spherical polymer particles: Collision of particles in suspension can result in hindered settling and their settling and resuspension properties are critical for quality control purposes. Based on spectrophotometric data, along with a mathematical model, this study finds that the resuspension time interval of particles decreases with diameter and increases with particle concentration and sample volume.