title: Ultrasonic attenuation and speed of sound of cornstarch suspensions.
abstract: The goal of this study is to contribute to the physics underlying the material properties of suspensions that exhibit shear thickening through the ultrasonic characterization of suspensions of cornstarch in a density-matched solution. Ultrasonic measurements at frequencies in the range of 4 to 8 MHz of the speed of sound and the frequency-dependent attenuation properties are reported for concentrations of cornstarch in a density-matched aqueous (cesium chloride brine) suspension, ranging up to 40% cornstarch. The speed of sound is found to range from 1483 ± 10 m/s in pure brine to 1765 ± 9 m/s in the 40% cornstarch suspension. The bulk modulus of a granule of cornstarch is inferred to be 1.2(± 0.1) × 10(10) Pa. The attenuation coefficient at 5 MHz increases from essentially zero in brine to 12.0 ± 1.2 dB/cm at 40% cornstarch.
authors: Department of Physics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA.
authors: Benjamin L
authors: BL
authors: Johnson
authors: Mark R
authors: MR
authors: Holland
authors: James G
authors: JG
authors: Miller
authors: Jonathan I
authors: JI
authors: Katz
mesh_terms: D002586:Cesium / Q000737:chemistry; D002712:Chlorides / Q000737:chemistry; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009038:Motion; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013016:Sound; D013213:Starch / Q000737:chemistry*; D013997:Time Factors; D014465:Ultrasonics / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D002586:Cesium; D013213:Starch; C028019:cesium chloride