Manuel Kerscher: Characterizing Fluids using Laser Light

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For the first time, Manuel Kerscher determined the Viscosity and Surface Tension of Benzene at Saturation Conditions from Surface Light Scattering. His results consolidate the capability of surface light scattering as an accurate absolute measurement technique for the simultaneous determination of the viscosity and surface tension of fluids. In addition, his data complement the established data set of benzene regarding viscosity and surface tension at true saturation conditions.

More recently, Manuel and his colleagues investigated the Viscosity, Surface Tension, and Density of Binary Mixtures of the Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC) Diphenylmethane with Benzophenone. Besides conventional techniques, surface light scattering and the pendant-drop method have been applied to determine the influence of benzophenone on the thermophysical properties of the LOHC. Benzophenone is an oxygenated derivative of diphenylmethane, which may be formed in the presence of air especially at high process temperatures.

Manuel Kerscher works at the Institute of Advanced Optical Technologies – Thermophysical Properties, his supervisor is Andreas Paul Fröba. The original publications can be found in the International Journal of Thermophysics and in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.

The insulated sample chamber during a measurement
The laser beam path