Larry Irwin

US Patent:

57025886, Dec 30, 1997

Filed:

Sep 23, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/710864

Inventors:

Michael R. Funk - Butler PA
Larry E. Irwin - Overland Park KS
Michael D. Foster - Mission Hills KS

Assignee:

Semtech, Inc. - Shawnee Mission KS

International Classification:

C10M17700
G01N 1100

US Classification:

205695

Abstract:

A method of separating soap fibers from the liquid phase component of grease to prepare the fibers for microscopic analysis includes the steps of admixing a sample of the grease with a solvent to remove the liquid phase component from the fibers and provide a final liquid product having the fibers in suspension therein, contacting the final product with a pair of spaced electrodes, applying a direct voltage across the electrodes to charge the same positive and negative respectively, and withdrawing for analysis a small quantity of the final product from a region thereof proximate the negative electrode after the voltage has been applied for a predetermined energization period. The withdrawn quantity may be deposited on a polished carbon stub and further prepared for analysis by a scanning electron microscope.