On Non-Linear Behavior of Viscosity in Low-Concentration Solutions and Aggregate Structures

Abstract

In this paper, an experimental method that may reveal possible aggregate symmetrical structures in highly diluted solutions is proposed, generated by the method of the release activity, which is not yet completely proven. The release activity phenomenon (regardless of whether or not it is real) could be viewed as being quite controversial. However, the focus of this paper is to reveal any possible higher-order, pragmatic, underlying symmetry or structure supporting this theory, by proposing an experiment based on viscosity. Our proposal is based on the sequential measurement of the viscosity of a highly diluted solution and the perturbative expansion of the viscosity as a function of the concentration. The coefficients of this perturbative expansion directly quantify the modification of the hydrodynamic flow around particles and around higher-order structures. Any deviation from a linear dependence of the viscosity, as a function of the concentration, could potentially reveal a collective structure of some sort, or some symmetrical pattern in the solvent. We describe our experimental proposal for non-electrolyte solutes, and future directions for revealing collective structures in solutions are discussed as related to the release activity method. Regardless of whether or not the release activity is pragmatic, it needs to be scrutinized in order to reveal its inner workings. Finally, some theoretical arguments are presented to support the proposal.