Measurement of powder surface area using capillary elevation method

Abstract

This contribution presents a neglected method of measuring powder surface area that uses the capillary elevation phenomenon. Such measurement has a potential to distinguish a fine surface texture of measured powder materials. The method has been verified experimentally on smooth steel spheres with diameters of 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.2 mm, and 1.6 mm, for which the theoretical values of specific surface area can be calculated and compared with the measurement results. The deviation of these experimentally determined values from the reference theoretical ones was less than 1%. New alternative experimental arrangements and related theoretical relations and simulations are presented.