Influence of capillarity on a density gradient column

Abstract

In general, the densities of liquid drops determined directly from their rest positions in density gradient columns are subject to error. The effect results from the variation of interfacial tension, between the droplet and column phases, with the local composition of the column phase. For a given system the capillary error increases as the drop radius decreases. It is lessened markedly by interfacial contamination. This capillary effect may be partly responsible for the enhanced density of anomalous water reported by Derjaguin et al.