A pulsed field gradient NMR technique for the determination of the structure of suspensions of non-Brownian particles with application to packings of spheres

The internal structure of systems of particles in a liquid is studied with a novel NMR technique based on the measurement of the squared modulus of the magnetization in presence of a pulsed field gradient. The formalism is analogous to the one used in classical scattering techniques (light, X-rays, neutrons); it allows similar information to be obtained about the structure tin particular, the structure factor S(q)). The main improvement is that the range of particles sizes is 10 mu m to 1 mm, as compared with the range of the scattering techniques (< 5 mu m). The NMR technique was validated by studying packings of spherical particles of mean diameter 240 mu m created by sedimentation. The profile of the experimental squared modulus of the magnetization versus the wave vector provides results for the mean size of particles and the compacity. The main feature is that it depends on the pair distribution function, and the present results are in good agreement with a model based on the Percus-Yevick approximation. This technique is then particularly adapted to systems such as non-Brownian suspensions, fluidized beds, porous media, and sediments. (C) 1998 Academic Press.