Take A Closer Look At Our Product Range…

You’ll see some quick ‘go to’ links below for each application and related product. You can click on a quick link here or scroll down the page to find a product of interest. You can then click on a heading to go to the main product page.

• Density Measurement – Thermo Scientific Pycnomatic
• Filter Testing – Cleanalyzer
• Particle Count Standards, Controls, Calibration
• Particle Counter – Pola 2000
• Particle Shape – FlowCam
• Particle Size Analysis – LS Range
• Particle Size Analysis – Multisizer 4 Coulter Counter
• Pore Size – Thermo Fisher Scientific
• Powder Flow – Revolution
• Powder Tester – Evolution
• Surface Area – Acorn AreA
• Surface Area – Thermo Scientific Surfer
• Texture Analysis – Tex’an 200 Texture Analyser
  
• Viscosity Measurement – Rheosense VROC
  
• Viscosity Measurement – RM 100 Rotating Viscometer
  
• Viscosity Measurement – The Black One
  
• Zeta Potential – DelsaMax
  

 

LS range of enhanced laser diffraction particle size analysis products -

The LS 13320 laser diffraction particle size analyser range offers the highest resolution, reproducibility and unsurpassed accuracy and is the most versatile and sophisticated laser diffraction particle size analyser available today.

With a size range from 0.017µm up to 2000µm and a range of sample handling modules designed for flexibility and convenience the LS 13320 is a system which is equally at home in the research or QC laboratory. A patented multi-wavelength optical design provides an enhanced measurement at the smaller particle sizes and the LS measures unknown samples without the analyst having to guess at the type of particle distribution. SOP/SOM based software makes the system easy to use.

Sample modules are available for samples suspended in aqueous or non-aqueous liquids and the Tornado dry powder module ensures samples are dispersed but not milled.  Most emulsions, suspensions and powders can be measured on the LS 13320.

Multisizer 4 Coulter Counter for particle sizing and counting -

Discover the most versatile and accurate particle sizing and counting analyser on the market. The Coulter Principle (also known as Electrical Sensing Zone) is the leading technology in high resolution and accuracy and is enhanced even further in the Multisizer 4 by using Digital Pulse Processing technology which provides ultra-high resolution, multichannel analysis and accuracy that is unattainable by other technologies.

Unaffected by particle colour, shape, composition or refractive index, the Multisizer provides size distribution by number, volume and surface area  with an overall sizing range of 0.4µm to 1600µm and is the subject of a ISO Standard (13319) and a number of ASTM methods for such diverse applications as toner powders and cellular analysis.

m-VROC high shear rate/low sample volume viscosity measurement -

Some viscometers suffer from errors such as the formation of a film from at the air-solvent interface falsely gives much higher viscosity values and shear thinning behaviour.

The Rheosense VROC obtains a viscosity reading by measuring the pressure drop as a test fluid flows through a flow channel. RheoSense took this principle and created a dynamic microliter-scale sample viscometer by adding microfluidics, and reducing the size of the device with MEMS manufacturing.

As a result, VROC® technology offers capabilities that are well beyond the limits of conventional viscometers . With samples volumes as low as 50µl and high (1,000,000 1/s) shear rates, the VROC range is ideally suited to a wide range of applications from protein solutions  to inkjet inks.

FlowCAM – particle shape and morphology -

The FlowCAM  is ‘Particle Analysis with Vision’ a particle measurement system that allows you to see what lies below the size distribution curve by providing digital images of every particle measured.

Sample suspended in a fluid is passed through a flow cell perpendicular to the optical path. The optical system is similar to a microscope, and is used to capture real-time images of the particles in the fluid as the pass through the flow cell. For each overall image captured, the individual particles are extracted as separate small images and stored separately along with up to 26 individual particle measurements (such as aspect ratio, transparency, circularity etc.) for each image.

Particle identification can be carried using software filters so that for example the number of protein aggregates in a solution can be identified independently of the number of silicon oil droplets present where particle counters would simply count both.

Measuring Surface area is quick and easy with the Acorn AreA -

For the first time there is now a quick and easy way to measure surface area of particles in suspension, emulsions and colloids. The Acorn AreA uses NMR to measure the surface area of a wide range of particles in suspensions.

Liquid molecules in free solution have a different NMR relaxation time to those which are attached to the particle surface, the AreA measure the difference and calculates the surface area of the particles.

Ideal for looking at processes such as wet milling helping to save both time and energy costs, the Acorn can also be used to look at the effectiveness of dispersion process to see if the particles are fully wetted. No sample preparation is required and results are obtained in a couple of minutes rather than waiting hours for conventional techniques.

Zeta potential, Emulsion and Colloid Stability -

The DelsaMax measures both zeta potential and particle size in just a few seconds on samples as small as a few microliters.

Ideal for proteins, carbon nanotubes  suspensions and emulsions, the speed of analysis means delicate samples such as proteins are not perturbed by the analysis resulting in more reliable and reproducible data. Using 31 detectors for zeta potential measurement and a separate detector for sizing the DelsaMax is able to measure zeta potential on samples as low in concentration as the equivalent of 1mg/ml Lysozyme.

The Assist accessory provides pressurisation of the measurement cell to eliminate gas bubble formation which further improves reliability and reproducibility on samples prone to gassing.

Concentrations of up to 60%v/v  can be measured with the Matec Zeta range and an optional autotitrator can provide pH and additive profiles to obtain the Iso-electric point of your aqueous or non-aqueous based suspension.

Surface Area and Pore Volume Measurements -

The Thermo Scientific Surfer applies the principle of static volumetric gas adsorption under controlled temperature and pressure conditions to determine the micro structural properties of solids and powders.

Surfer determines rapidly and precisely the specific surface area (including krypton BET), Ultra micro, micro and mesopore size distribution, Specific pore volume and Exposed active sites concentration on catalysts.

Surfer is composed of two separate modules that can be used either independently or connected together, the analyser and the sample preparation degasser. Prior to the experiment, porous samples need to be dried and degassed.

Often the sample preparation is a time-consuming operation as it is dependent on the material nature and pore dimensions. The Thermo Scientific Surfer features a degasser module with three independent vacuum ports, so that up to three samples can be prepared at once, shortening the total experiment time.

Measuring Pore Size – Volume Distribution -

The mercury porosimetry technique is one of the most useful methods to investigate the porous structure of solid samples in a quantitative way. It provides reliable information about pore size/volume distribution, particle size distribution, bulk (envelope) density and specific surface for most porous solids.

Pressurization by Automatic Speed-up and Continuous Adjustment Logic, or Pascal, is a special operating principle developed by Thermo Fisher Scientific. The pressurisation procedure is critical to the accuracy of the analysis, too high a pressurisation rate and the pores are not completely filled at the correct pressure, too low a rate and the analysis time becomes very long.

The Pascal method ensures optimum information at the best speed and pressure giving the highest resolution and minimising analysis time.

Powder Flowability, Fluidisation, Granulation and Caking -

Powders change their state depending on their handling and storage. Predicting a powder’s behaviour requires an understanding of the state of the powder in the process and how the powder transitions from one state to another.

The Revolution Powder Analyser measures powder properties and how they change from the consolidated state to the fluidised state. Flowability, Granulation and Caking, and Fluidisation tests measure the powder in different powder states.

The RPA can measure individual properties or multiple measurements such as the powders ability to flow after fluidisation and provide density information.

Filter testing to ISO 4406 AND 16232 -

Cleanalyzer is a powerful system for analysing and documenting the filters used to collect particles during cleaning processes. Cleanalyzer enables guaranteed compliance to common particulate and cleanliness

standards, including VDA Vol. 19, ISO 16232 & ISO 4406. Being extremely versatile, and future proofed to increasing specifications, Cleanalyzer can handle a wide range of filter materials including paper, Teflon, and polyester mesh.

Cleanalizers seamless integration of hardware and software components provides you with an invaluable tool in your Quality process that can streamline and standardise every step in your particle analysis process – offering full automation and one-click reporting! Cleanalyzer is available in three versions in order to meet your exact needs and budget.

Density Of Solids And Powders -

The Thermo Scientific Pycnomatic is the ultimate development for density measurement of solid materials available. Based on the technique of gas displacement to measure real density of solids and powders, Pycnomatic delivers unrivalled fast and accurate results.

Real density is a fundamental parameter required to complete the characterization of many solid materials and powders. In addition, density analysis by gas displacement technique is a rapid and reliable way to determine the purity of solids, whenever an immediate but precise test is required.

This applies to a wide array of technological fields such as: ceramics, mineralogy, geology, pharmaceuticals, metallurgy, pigments, building materials, foams, plastics, polymers, abrasives and catalysts, just to name the most important.

POLA 2000 particle counter for oils, hydraulic fluids and water -

A number of regulatory authorities require the particulate contamination levels of fluids to be monitored in order to provide a safeguard to continued operation of plant and equipment, health of patients or effectiveness of clean up procedures such as filtration.

The POLA 200 is a light obscuration (blockage based system which is suitable for counting most fluids to standards such as ISO 4402, ISO 11171,NAS 1638 etc.

It’s simple to use, portable and reliable. Windows based software makes reporting of data quick and easy whilst providing the flexibility to display up to 50 size channels on any sample covering the overall size range from 1µm to 150µm.

Powder Tester – Powder Strength on storage

Knowing whether or not a powder will flow out of a container depends upon the strength it gains through storage. To allow a powder to flow the force making the powder move must be greater than its strength ( usually called Unconfined Yield Strength).

For most powders and granular material, the longer the material is exposed to pressure, the higher its unconfined yield strength will be. This will also be affected by other storage conditions such as temperature and humidity. In a lot of flow measurement tests, the time parameter is often ignored because sample analysis cells required to make many measurements over time are very expensive, and often do not have any means of applying the necessary pressure over prolonged periods. An affordable solution is now available – the Evolution Powder Tester.

The Evolution measures a materials response to applied pressure and calculates its unconfined yield strength. The measurement can be done at a single point, or at several pressures creating a Flow Function. The sample analysis cells can be stored in a temperature/ humidity controlled environment to simulate different storage conditions and measurements take typically less than 3 minutes to perform. The Evolution can provide you reliable reproducible data for the same cost as having a few samples measured by external laboratories.

Viscosity Measurement Equipment – The Black One

A simple, robust, excellent value viscometer

Knowing how well your product pours, flows, and coats is an essential part of the process for many industries. From paints to polymers, creams to chocolate and honey to glue – the Black One provides viscosity measurements quickly , easily and reliably.

For more information, click on the main heading above to go to the main product page.

Particle Count Standards, Particle Size Standards, Controls, Calibration

Some instruments  require calibration, others certification and some control or verification materials run on a regular basis. We have a wide range of Controls, Calibration materials and particle size standards suitable for most purposes, from NIST traceable materials to good quality, affordable control samples and IQ/OQ/PQ documentation.

Materials of know particle size, concentration, surface area and density are available and all come with certified values and information on their use, and come in a variety of forms, latex particles, glass beads, garnets etc can all be provided depending upon the application and size range required.

Digital Viscometer – The RM 100 Rotating Viscometer

With a built in temperature  probe as standard, the RM 100 offers the advantage of spring less operation with a huge range of torque which may eliminate the need for more than one instrument.

With bayonet coupling for ease of use and no need to wait for stabilisation the RM 100 provides speed, reliability, and flexibility with up to 34 speeds  and viscosity range from 1 – over 500,000,000mPa.s.

Also available as a portable model the RM 100 represents excellent value.

 

Textural Analysis With The Tex’an 200 Texture Analyser

Does it taste right?, is it hard to rub in? Texture Analysis will help you.

Is the custard too thick, is the cream too difficult to spread or does the coating not coat? The Tex’an 200 Texture Analyser provides detailed information on the consistency, elasticity and adhesivity of your products.

To find out more, please click on the main heading above to go to the main product page.

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