Enlarging density measurement range for polymers by horizontal magneto-Archimedes levitation

To overcome the major limitation of magnetic levitation, narrow density measurement range, a novel horizontal magneto-Archimedes levitation method is proposed for enlarging density measurement range of polymers. This method provides a new way to tune the components of the gravitational force relative to the magnetic field, which enhances the effect of magnetic force acting on the polymers. Experiments with different diamagnetic materials, different paramagnetic solutions, different sized polymers and various polymers were carried out to verify the proposed method. Experimental results show that the method enlarges density measurement range from 1.007-1.483 g/cm3 to 1.244-14.914 g/cm3 (depending on the 2.5 M MnCl2 aqueous solution), and it enables density measurements to be performed for high-density polymers (e.g., Teflon and BMC) and other diamagnetic materials (e.g., Brass, barium sulfate and aluminum). In general, the proposed method has wider measurement range, high-accuracy, simplicity-of-use and low-cost, and it has prospects of broad application in characterizing high-density polymers and polymeric composites.