Two similar products such as low-fat and full-fat
mayonnaise should have similar texture. That’s why the
determination of elasticity, consistency and adhesion is
primordial.
The BeDensi B1-S is a bulk density tester designed for accurate and reliable measurements of various metal powders and pharmaceutical powders. It uses Scott capacity meter technology and is compliant with industry standards such as ISO 3923-2, ASTM B329, USP <616>, and EP 2.9.34. With its compact and durable design, the BeDensi B1-S is ideal for use in laboratories and production facilities. Whether you’re working with metal or pharmaceutical powders, the BeDensi B1-S is the perfect choice for precise and reliable bulk density measurements.
The BeDensi B1-S bulk density tester measures bulk density using advanced Scott capacity meter technology. This method provides highly accurate and reliable measurements of the bulk density of various metal powders and pharmaceutical powders.
The BeDensi B1-S is fully compliant with ISO 3923-2, ASTM B329, USP <616>, and EP 2.9.34 manufacturing standards. This ensures that your results are precise, reliable, and accepted within the industry, giving you peace of mind and confidence in your measurements.
Powder characterization includes flow measurements, morphology, particle size distribution, density, and chemical composition. Bettersize PowderPro Series instruments are mainly used for the analysis of the powder physical properties by testing items such as angle of repose and fall, angle of spatula (flat plate angle), bulk and tapped density, dispersibility, voidage and cohesion, angle of difference, compressibility, uniformity, flowability Index, floodability index, sieve size, angle of slide, etc.
Bulk density: fill the powder sample into a measuring cup, and flatten the top, the ratio of the powder mass to the volume of the cup is defined as bulk density. It indicates the mass of the powder that can be added into the vessel per volume under normal conditions.
Tapped density: fill the powder sample into a measuring cup; vibrate the cup at a certain amplitude and frequency to remove air from the powders. After reaching the required vibration time, flatten the sample. The ratio of the powder mass to the volume of the cup is defined as tapped density. Tapped density indicates the mass of powders filled into the vessel per volume after excluding air from the powders. The data of bulk density and tapped density are often used for the design of vessels, bags, and tanks for powder storage.
Compressibility: it is the ratio of the difference between tapped density and bulk density to tap density. It shows the degree of volume reduction from bulk to tap state.
Flowability Index: is a set of numerical values obtained by the weighted summation of angle of repose, Compressibility, angle of spatula, uniformity, and cohesion. It is used to comprehensively evaluate the flowability of the powder. The Flowability Index is mainly used to describe powder flowability under gravity.
Angle of repose: Under the static balance, the angle between the slope of a powder pile and the horizontal plane is angle of repose. It is measured when the powders fall to a surface via gravity and form a cone. It indicates the flowability of the powders. The smaller the angle of repose is, the better the flowability of the powders.
Angle of fall: After measuring the angle of repose, apply an external force to the powder pile to collapse it. The angle between the slope of the collapsed pile and the horizontal plane is defined as angle of fall.
Angle of difference: It means the difference between the angle of repose and the angle of collapse. The larger the angle of difference is, the better flowability of the powders.
Flat plate angle: immerse a plane in the powder pile; pull up the plane vertically, and one angle is formed between the slope of the powders on the plane and the plane. Apply an external force to obtain another angle. The average of these two angles is flat plate angle. The smaller the flat plate angle is, the better the flowability of the powders. The flat plate angle is usually larger than the angle of repose.
According to ISO4490, the flowability of metal powders is usually measured with a Hall flow meter.
The measurement process is:
The standard funnel of the Hall flowmeter needs to be calibrated by a standard sample with a flow speed of 40 + 0.5s/50g.
Exosomes? Virus? Nanoparticle? Use multiple lasers for complete, detailed analysis of all the particles in your sample.
Exosomes, viruses, and nanoparticles all have wide size distributions which defeat traditional Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) analyzers. The ViewSizer 3000 features simultaneous measurement with three lasers to collect the most accurate distribution and concentration information over a wide range of sizes within the same sample. Where the signal from a particle is too bright and saturates the detector from one laser, the software automatically uses data from a lower power laser to ensure the most accurate size and concentration information. On the other hand, when scattering from one laser is too weak for detection, the software uses data from a higher power laser to accurately track the particle.
Cross contamination is a concern in all analyses. Simplified cleaning means thorough cleaning. The easy-to-remove sample cells can be dissassembled for rapid, thorough cleaning, which leads to better data.
Escape the limits of traditional Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis
Accurate and sensitive analysis without cross contamination
The ViewSizer determines particle size and size distribution details by multi-laser nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). Multiple lasers enable analysis of a broad range of sizes in the same sample.
NTA can be used to count particles in the measurement volume. A patented method corrects for the effect of particle size on effective measurement volume.
The sample cell can be completely removed and dissassembled for complete cleaning. Disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly is faster than rinsing a flow cell. Furthermore, multiple cells can be used for faster throughput or assigned to various groups in a shared (core) facility.
| A lipase-independent pathway of lipid release and immune modulation by adipocytes | https://science.sciencemag.org/content/363/6430/989 |
| Application of a novel new multispectral nanoparticle tracking technique | https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6501/aab940/meta |
| Biophysical characterization of polydisperse liposomal adjuvant formulations | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.05.156 |
| Characterisation of particles in solution – a perspective on light scattering and comparative technologies | https://doi.org/10.1080/14686996.2018.1517587 |
| Cyclodextrin Reduces Intravenous Toxicity of a Model Compound | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xphs.2019.01.004 |
| Development and anti-Candida evaluation of the vaginal delivery system of … nanosuspension-loaded thermogel | https://doi.org/10.1080/1061186X.2018.1434660 |
| Electrochemical sensor based on F,N-doped carbon dots decorated laccase for detection of catechol | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelechem.2019.03.071 |
| Light scattering by pure water and seawater: the depolarization ratio and its variation with salinity | https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.58.000991 |
| Lipid Nanoparticle-Delivered Chemically Modified mRNA Restores Chloride Secretion in Cystic Fibrosis | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymthe.2018.05.014 |
| Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Bioreactor for Ex Vivo Reprogramming of Human Immune Cells | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-67039-w |
| Multifunctional Nanocomposites Based on Liposomes and Layered Double Hydroxides Conjugated with Glycylsarcosine for Efficient Topical Drug Delivery to the Posterior Segment of the Eye | https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.8b01136 |
| Particle size analysis of polydisperse liposome formulations with a novel multispectral advanced nanoparticle tracking technology | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2019.06.013 |
| Review of nanoparticles in ultrapure water: definitions and current metrologies for detection and control | https://www.ovivowater.com/review-of-nanoparticles-in-ultrapure-water-definitions-and-current-metrologies-for-detection-and-control/ |
| Spark erosion as a high-throughput method for producing bimodal nanostructured 316L stainless steel powder | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2018.01.012 |
| Synthesis and Characterization of EGFR-Targeted Immunoporphysomes | http://hdl.handle.net/1807/89548 |
| Synthesis of Ultrasmall Synthetic Melanin Nanoparticles by UV Irradiation in Acidic and Neutral Conditions | https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsabm.9b00747 |
| Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis for the Quantification and Size Determination of Extracellular Vesicles | Protocol (jove.com) | https://doi.org/10.3791/62447 |
| Isolation and characterization of EV in Saliva of Children with Asthma | https://evcna.com/article/view/3962 |
| Spinal cord injury alters microRNA and CD81+ exosome levels in plasma extracellular nanoparticles with neuroinflammatory potential | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2020.12.007 |
| Skeletal muscle tissue secretes more extracellular vesicles than white adipose tissue and myofibers are a major source ex vivo but not in vivo | https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.09.27.313932 |
| Human milk extracellular vesicle miRNA expression and associations with maternal characteristics in a population-based cohort from the Faroe Islands | https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-84809-2 |
| Purification of Cas9 – RNA Complexes by Ultrafiltration | https://doi.org/10.1002/btpr.3104 |
| Assessment of Surface Glycan Diversity on Extracellular Vesicles by Lectin Microarray and Glycoengineering Strategies for Drug Delivery Applications | https://doi.org/10.1002/smtd.202100785 |
| Bioactive extracellular vesicles from a subset of endothelial progenitor cells rescue retinal ischemia and neurodegeneration | https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.155928 |
|
Measurement Range
|
10 nm to 15 μm |
|
Typical Sample Volume
|
350 µL to 2.5 mL |
|
Typical Sample Concentration
(Sample dependent) |
10^5 – 10^9 particles/mL/p> |
|
Sample Temperature Range
(Controlled) |
10° C to 50° C +/- 0.1° C |
|
Dimensions
|
55 cm W x 66 cm D x 35 cm H |
|
Weight
|
27 kg |
|
Operational Environment
|
15° C to 30° C with < 85% RH |
The BeDensi B1 is a bulk density analyser designed to provide accurate and reliable measurements of bulk density for samples other than metal powders. It uses the natural deposition method and is compliant with GB/T16913.3-1997-Part III: Determination of bulk density, ensuring that your results are always precise and consistent. With its easy-to-use and versatile capabilities, the BeDensi B1 is the perfect choice for anyone who needs reliable bulk density measurements for their materials and processes.
The BeDensi B1 bulk density analyser uses the natural deposition method to provide highly accurate measurements of bulk density. This technology ensures that your results are always reliable and precise, no matter what type of material you are testing.
The BeDensi B1 bulk density tester is specifically designed for testing samples that are not metal powders, making it a versatile choice for a wide range of applications. Whether you are working with plastics, ceramics, or other non-metallic materials, the BeDensi B1 can provide accurate and reliable measurements of bulk density. With its easy-to-use and intuitive controls, it’s easy to get precise measurements of your materials, allowing you to make informed decisions about your processes and products.
The BeDensi B1 bulk density tester is fully compliant with GB/T16913.3-1997-Part III: Determination of bulk density, ensuring that your results meet industry standards and are accepted around the world. This rigorous standard sets out precise guidelines for measuring bulk density, ensuring that your results are accurate and reliable. By using a compliant bulk density tester like the BeDensi B1, you can be confident that your measurements are consistent and comparable, allowing you to make informed decisions about your materials and processes.
Powder characterization includes flow measurements, morphology, particle size distribution, density, and chemical composition. Bettersize PowderPro Series instruments are mainly used for the analysis of the powder physical properties by testing items such as angle of repose and fall, angle of spatula (flat plate angle), bulk and tapped density, dispersibility, voidage and cohesion, angle of difference, compressibility, uniformity, flowability Index, floodability index, sieve size, angle of slide, etc.
Bulk density: fill the powder sample into a measuring cup, and flatten the top, the ratio of the powder mass to the volume of the cup is defined as bulk density. It indicates the mass of the powder that can be added into the vessel per volume under normal conditions.
Tapped density: fill the powder sample into a measuring cup; vibrate the cup at a certain amplitude and frequency to remove air from the powders. After reaching the required vibration time, flatten the sample. The ratio of the powder mass to the volume of the cup is defined as tapped density. Tapped density indicates the mass of powders filled into the vessel per volume after excluding air from the powders. The data of bulk density and tapped density are often used for the design of vessels, bags, and tanks for powder storage.
Compressibility: it is the ratio of the difference between tapped density and bulk density to tap density. It shows the degree of volume reduction from bulk to tap state.
Flowability Index: is a set of numerical values obtained by the weighted summation of angle of repose, Compressibility, angle of spatula, uniformity, and cohesion. It is used to comprehensively evaluate the flowability of the powder. The Flowability Index is mainly used to describe powder flowability under gravity.
Angle of repose: Under the static balance, the angle between the slope of a powder pile and the horizontal plane is angle of repose. It is measured when the powders fall to a surface via gravity and form a cone. It indicates the flowability of the powders. The smaller the angle of repose is, the better the flowability of the powders.
Angle of fall: After measuring the angle of repose, apply an external force to the powder pile to collapse it. The angle between the slope of the collapsed pile and the horizontal plane is defined as angle of fall.
Angle of difference: It means the difference between the angle of repose and the angle of collapse. The larger the angle of difference is, the better flowability of the powders.
Flat plate angle: immerse a plane in the powder pile; pull up the plane vertically, and one angle is formed between the slope of the powders on the plane and the plane. Apply an external force to obtain another angle. The average of these two angles is flat plate angle. The smaller the flat plate angle is, the better the flowability of the powders. The flat plate angle is usually larger than the angle of repose.
According to ISO4490, the flowability of metal powders is usually measured with a Hall flow meter.
The measurement process is:
The standard funnel of the Hall flowmeter needs to be calibrated by a standard sample with a flow speed of 40 + 0.5s/50g.
A compression-relaxation test is used to determine the
softness and elasticity in different soft candy.
The Ottawa piston can be used to perform compression
(or compression-relaxation) on large sample. A
compression-relaxation test is used to determine the
softness and elasticity in different soft candy.
Kramer cell is used for the analysis of multi-particle
products such as corn, olives or peas. During the test,
thanks to the design of the cell, there is a combination of
compression, shearing and extrusion.
Cylindrical probes are used to make penetration test.
Those tests allow us to determine the freshness of the
products by linking firmness to freshness.
Kramer cell is used for the analysis of multi-particle
products such as raspberry, corn, olives or peas. During
the test, thanks to the design of the cell, there is a
combination of compression, shearing and extrusion.
The T probe is used to determine the rigidity properties
of solid brittle products such as chips (premium vs low
cost).
Mesh probe is used here to measure the consistency of
2 different kinds of fruits yogurts. Using a compression
test, it can quantify the consistency of products but also
the presence of fruits inside.
Gel power measurement by compression test or Bloom
value enables to quantify strength of gels, simply with a
perfectly defined method, according European
pharmacopeia.
The 3 points bending fixture is used to determine the
rigidity properties of hard products such as chocolate
filled biscuit.
The Warner-Bratzler cell can be used to determine the
resistance of sliced cheese towards blade penetration.
The usage of a knife probe allows us to cut through hard
samples such as cat snacks. The required cutting force
is one of the main parameters in preparation of dry food.
The 3 points bending fixture is used to determine the
rigidity properties of hard products such as shortbreads
(premium vs low-cost vs gluten-free).
A compression test is used to quantify firmness of block
forms products such as butter, margarine or cheese with
the aid of a thin wire.
Cereal bars combine a variety of ingredients, including grains, nuts, dried fruit and binding syrups, to create products with different textures and mechanical properties. Their flexibility plays an important role in product quality, influencing how easily consumers can bend, handle and eat them. A bar that bends readily may offer a different eating experience from one that feels firm and rigid, while excessive brittleness can increase the risk of breakage during handling, transport and storage.
For food manufacturers, measuring these properties helps them compare formulations, assess product consistency and maintain quality throughout production. Texture analysis provides an objective way to evaluate cereal bar flexibility, replacing subjective assessments with measurable results.
The Lamy Rheology TX-900 Texture Analyser offers a practical solution for evaluating the mechanical properties of cereal bars. When fitted with a three-point bending fixture, the instrument measures the resistance of a sample as it bends under an applied force. This method helps determine how easily a bar flexes and whether it maintains its structure during deformation.
During the test, the cereal bar rests symmetrically across two supports while a probe applies force at the centre. The analyser records the response as the probe moves downwards, producing data that reveal differences in bending resistance between samples. Researchers can use these results to compare products and identify variations in rigidity and flexibility.
The TX-900 enables laboratories to investigate the mechanical behaviour of cereal bars using a controlled testing method. Its extended travel distance and programmable test settings support a range of texture analysis applications, while the integrated touchscreen displays measurement curves for convenient assessment.
By comparing bending results across different brands, recipes or production batches, manufacturers can gain valuable insight into how ingredients and formulation choices affect product texture. This information can support formulation development, routine quality control and the creation of cereal bars with consistent mechanical properties.
Discover how three-point bending can help characterise cereal bar flexibility with the Lamy Rheology TX-900 Texture Analyser.
Rusk is a twice-baked bread product known for its dry, firm and crunchy texture. Available in both traditional wheat-based and gluten-free varieties, rusk can differ in its structural strength, brittleness and resistance to bending. These characteristics influence product quality, consumer experience and performance during handling, packaging and transport.
For food manufacturers, understanding these differences is particularly important when developing gluten-free alternatives to conventional wheat products. Removing gluten can change the structure and binding properties of baked goods, potentially affecting their mechanical strength and texture. Objective testing allows manufacturers to compare formulations and evaluate whether gluten-free products achieve the desired textural characteristics.
The Lamy Rheology TX-900 Texture Analyser provides a reliable method for assessing the rigidity of hard products such as rusk. Using a three-point bending fixture, the instrument measures the force required to bend a sample, providing quantitative data on its resistance to deformation.
During the test, the rusk rests on two supports while a probe applies force at the centre. As the probe moves downwards, the analyser records the force response, allowing users to assess the sample’s mechanical behaviour. The resulting measurements help distinguish between products that resist bending strongly and those that fracture or break under lower forces.
Three-point bending measurements provide valuable insight into the structural differences between gluten-free and traditional wheat rusk. By comparing the force required to bend each product, manufacturers and researchers can evaluate variations in rigidity and identify differences associated with ingredient composition and formulation.
The Lamy Rheology TX-900 supports product development and quality control by providing measurable results that complement sensory assessments. Manufacturers can use these findings to refine recipes, compare production batches and assess the consistency of finished products.
Whether evaluating an established wheat rusk recipe or developing a gluten-free alternative, instrumental bending tests offer a practical way to investigate texture and structural performance. Discover how the TX-900 Texture Analyser can help characterise and compare the bending resistance of wheat and gluten-free rusk.
Texture plays an important role in food quality, influencing mouthfeel, eating experience and consumer satisfaction. Firmness, in particular, helps manufacturers assess product consistency and understand how ingredients and processing methods affect the finished product. Texture analysis provides an objective way to measure these properties, helping food producers compare formulations, refine recipes and maintain consistent quality.
This application examines three types of sausage: pork, chicken and vegetarian varieties made from wheat and peas. Each formulation contains different ingredients, which influence its internal structure, firmness and resistance to cutting. Meat-based products and plant-based alternatives can develop different textural characteristics depending on their composition and manufacturing process.
Comparing these products under consistent test conditions allows manufacturers to investigate how ingredient selection affects texture. This information can support the development of new products, particularly when producers want to achieve a specific firmness or create plant-based alternatives with textural properties similar to traditional meat products.
The Warner-Bratzler cell provides a practical method for evaluating firmness by measuring a sample’s resistance to cutting. Each sample sits on the cell’s base plate, which features a slot that allows the blade to pass through the material without obstruction.
The instrument performs a 21 mm compression test, driving the blade through the full sample. During this process, the analyser measures the force required to cut through the product, providing an objective indication of its firmness and structural resistance.
By applying the same testing method to all three formulations, manufacturers can compare their textural properties using consistent, measurable data. These results can help identify differences between recipes, assess the impact of ingredient changes and monitor product consistency during development and production.
Instrumental texture analysis also reduces reliance on subjective assessments alone, giving food scientists and quality control teams a repeatable method for evaluating product performance. Whether manufacturers develop traditional meat products or plant-based alternatives, the Warner-Bratzler cell offers a useful approach to understanding firmness and supporting informed decisions about formulation and quality control.
Yoghurt texture plays an important role in product quality, influencing its consistency, mouthfeel and overall consumer experience. However, different yoghurt varieties exhibit distinct rheological properties depending on their formulation and manufacturing process. Set yoghurt, in particular, develops a gel-like structure during fermentation and retains this structure until consumption. Unlike stirred yoghurt, manufacturers do not blend the gel before packaging, which means the product maintains its original network.
This gelified structure presents a challenge during viscosity measurements. Conventional cylindrical spindles can disrupt the yoghurt’s internal structure as they rotate, potentially affecting the measurement and making it difficult to obtain representative results. Selecting the appropriate measuring system is therefore essential for accurate and reliable rheological analysis.
The Lamy Rheometer RM200 provides a practical solution for investigating the rheological properties of yoghurt. By measuring the relationship between applied shear and the sample’s response, the instrument helps users characterise its flow behaviour and consistency.
However, the choice of measuring system can significantly influence the results when testing structured products such as non-blended set yoghurt. A suitable geometry must account for the sample’s gel-like consistency and minimise unwanted structural disruption during measurement. Comparing measuring systems allows researchers to understand how their selection affects the recorded viscosity and the interpretation of the product’s rheological behaviour.
For food manufacturers and quality control laboratories, reliable rheological measurements support product development, formulation optimisation and consistency monitoring. Understanding how a measuring system interacts with a structured sample helps users select appropriate testing conditions and obtain meaningful data.
The Lamy Rheometer RM200 enables users to investigate these considerations and assess the impact of measuring system selection on set yoghurt analysis. By identifying a suitable configuration, laboratories can improve confidence in their measurements and gain a clearer understanding of the product’s texture and flow characteristics.
This application note explores how the choice of measuring system influences the rheological analysis of non-blended set yoghurt, highlighting the importance of selecting the right approach when measuring structured, gel-like food products.
The MagnoMeter XRS™ suite of instruments provides unmatched functionality and unparalleled particle suspension characterisation analyser, at any stage of the formulation or manufacture process, across any industry.
Mageleka’s flagship instrument is the MagnoMeter XRS™ RelaxoMeter, a powerful and versatile next-generation benchtop low-field NMR spectrometer that provides fast, accurate, particle suspension characterisation and solid-liquid interface analysis of dispersions and liquid-liquid interface analysis of emulsions. It is ideal for fundamental formulation R&D, rapid QC of incoming raw materials, and QA of final commercial products.
The RelaxoMeter Flow is ideal for use with heterogeneous suspensions where batch sampling is problematic. Use it to monitor milling processes in real time, and under industry-relevant conditions. Also for investigation of the impact of continuous addition of chemical reactants, and for laboratory studies of process control.
The SedimentoMeter is a simple benchtop device for: determining settling/sedimentation rates of slurries, investigating particle aggregation (coagulation/flocculation), and measuring fast or slow kinetic processes and mechanisms. It is ideal for accelerated aging and shelf-storage studies
Easily exchangeable for different nuclei and/or higher field strength magnets
Phase cycling, composite pulses, two channel RF, and 1D, 2D, and 3D shaped gradients
For use in controlled, hazardous, or radioactive environments.
Four diameters available, from 2mm (highest resolution) to 10mm (lowest resolution)
Easy to use and upgrade PC software and a dedicated dual core ARM9 processor running Debian
Measure materials or products at any stage of the formulation and manufacturing process
The magnet/sample probe assembly – called a MagnoPod™ – is a separate, temperature-controlled unit. This practical feature allows the MagnoMeter XRS™ devices to be operated remotely. Each unit can accommodate multiple MagnoPods™, which adds flexibility and extends the scope of any application. The MagnoMeter XRS™ devices are ideal for use in controlled or hazardous environments, and can be integrated into production equipment. The small footprint saves space in any lab, and the low weight makes it easily portable.
At the heart of the MagnoMeter XRS™ is state-of-the-art NMR technology (patent-pending). It features Direct Digital Synthesis, which incorporates a software defined radio device. Radio frequency generation and detection is done digitally; there are no analogue multiplexing steps in detecting the NMR signal. This next-generation technology provides the MagnoMeter XRS™ devices with exceptional resolution of complex solid-liquid and liquid-liquid formulations at any concentration – and at significantly faster speeds than the competition.
Measurements using the MagnoMeter XRS™ devices are based on the simple and intuitive MagnoSoft™ program, and operation requires minimal training and expertise. The MagnoSoft™ program can control multiple MagnoPods™ from one central control unit, which adds incredible flexibility and eliminates the need to purchase multiple instruments.
The MagnoMeter XRS™ features phase cycling, composite pulses, and two-channel radio frequency and 3D shaped gradients, all customizable by the pulse programming interface of the MagnoSoft™ program. This makes possible 1D, 2D, and 3D imaging, robust self-diffusion measurement (10-9 to 10-13 m2s-1), droplet sizing analysis, polymer characterization in solution and melts, and more.
With the MagnoMeter XRS™ there is no need to change the way you work – or the type of NMR tube you use. It is challenging to fill a narrow NMR tube with a highly viscous fluid, so larger-diameter tubes are needed. Conversely, when sample volume is very low, or higher resolution is needed, a narrow-diameter tube is ideal. Accordingly, the MagnoPod™ can accommodate four different diameter NMR tubes: 2 mm (highest resolution), 4 mm (standard resolution), 8 mm (lower resolution) and 10 mm (lowest resolution).
The MagnoMeter XRS suite of products offers the user a wide degree of flexibilty to meet their individual need. Do you need to measure samples at multiple locations, or analyse multiple nuclei? The MagnoPod™ is easily exchangeable, and convenient additional pods are available for a wide range of nuclei (including 7Li, 19F and 32P). Multiple MagnoPods™ can be connected and driven by one controller, all run by the powerful MagnoSoft™ program. Sometimes the difference between success and failure is a matter of degrees. All MagnoPods™ come standard with a temperature exchanger unit installed. An optional upgrade to a Peltier controlled system is available. Need more resolution? Higher field magnets are available. Talk to us, and we can tailor the MagnoMeter XRS™ to meet your specific needs.
Hall flowmeter for the norm compliant determination of the flowability of metal powders
Compliant with ISO 4490, ASTM B213-13
The HFlow 1 flowmeter funnel is a reliable and accurate device to measure bulk density and flow rate in pharmaceutical and metal powders. It allows the sample to flow through a standard Hall funnel, Carney funnel, or Gustavsson funnel, providing precise and reliable measurements of powder flowability. Complied with USP, Ph. Eur., ASTM, and ISO standards, it is ideal for use in laboratories and production facilities working with pharmaceutical and metal powders.
This instrument is crucial for characterizing powder behavior, which is essential for optimizing production processes in industries such as pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, and chemicals. By understanding the flow properties of powders, manufacturers can improve product consistency, reduce waste, and enhance overall production efficiency.
The HFlow 1 is designed for ease of use, with a user-friendly interface that simplifies the testing process. Its automated data collection and real-time analysis capabilities enable users to obtain results quickly, streamlining the workflow in laboratory and industrial settings. This efficiency is particularly beneficial in high-throughput environments where time and accuracy are critical.
● Measurement: Bulk density and Flow rate
● Technology: Flowmeter Funnel
● Three funnels: Hall (2.5 mm orifice), Carney (5 mm orifice), and Gustavsson (2.5 mm orifice).
Investigation experiments of practically relevant separation processes by standard gas sorption instruments for pore size analysis are limited.
Regarding the assignment of tasks such as
The dynamic flow method is applied for practical investigation such as
The figure above shows a breakthrough curve of CO2 at activated carbon measured with the mixSorb L. The vertical, red line marks the start of the breakthrough measurement. From this point a gas mixture of 5 Vol.-% CO2 in Helium flows through the adsorbent at a pressure of 5 bar at 40 °C with a flow of 1 L min-1. The black line represents the concentration of CO2 at the end of the adsorber column. One can observe that after 15 minutes traces of CO2 are detected. Before that time CO2 is completely withheld by adsorption on the activated carbon followed by a steep increase of the CO2 concentration, which is called mass transfer zone. From the shape of the breakthrough curve in this zone different parameters concerning sorption kinetics or concentration distribution can easily be determined. After approximately 30 minutes the activated carbon reaches the maximum sorption capacity under this experimental conditions. Consequently the CO2 concentration at the end of the column approaches the initial CO2 concentration.
The releasing heat of sorption results in a temperature increase of the adsorber bed. To follow this process the mixSorb L is equipped with four temperature sensors along the adsorber. Their position is sketched at the right side of the figure. The four sensors respond in accordance to the direction of the gas flow starting with T1 and ends with T4. The measured temperature curves (orange, grey, yellow and blue) are also depicted. They give information of the released heat, the speed of energy exchange processes and the dispersion of the concentration profile in the adsorber column.
The following figure illustrates how to determine the technical usable sorption capacity from a breakthrough curve under certain experimental conditions. The BET surface area or the micropore volume, which are exactly known by standard gas sorption methods, are not accessible completely in technical flow processes for certain kind of purification or separation processes. As an example: The separation of CO2 from N2 (40 °C, 2 L min-1, 5 bar, initial gas composition: 5% CO2 in N2) occurs with the breakthrough of CO2 when the sorption capacity reaches 75% of the maximum sorption capacity. The dynamic sorption analyzer mixSorb L can help to predict technical relevant sorption processes in an easy a quick way.
The chemisorption analysis is specially used to characterize catalysts. The most crucial point is to determine the chemically active part of the surface area. To determine the active surface area a measuring gas is used, which is able to strongly chemisorb at the active sites. Hydrogen gas is often used for the analysis, which creates a chemisorption bond to noble metals (e.g. platinum-alumina catalysts).
A certain amount of gas is dosed onto the active material in vacuum. The determination of the amount of adsorbed gas is carried out by pressure measurement in a system with known volume. Typically two isotherms are measured during the chemisorption experiment: The first isotherm reflects the sum of physisorption and chemisorption. After that the sample is evacuated to desorb loosely bonded gas molecules (physisorbed measuring gas) from the surface. Repeating the isotherm then only shows the physisorption again due to the blockage of the active sites from the first isotherm. Subtracting the second from the first isotherm only reveals the pure chemisorption. From this isotherm the amount of active sites can be calculated.
An inert gas continuously flows over a solid. A thermal conductivity detector analyses the measuring signal (base line). After that pulses of the measuring gas are added successively into the flow of the inert gas and after each pulse the instrument waits until the signal reaches the base line again. Initially the active material chemisorbs the measuring gas. After a while the actives sites are getting saturated. The measurement is being continued until the thermal conductivity detector shows constant peaks and no measuring gas is chemisorbed any more. This method is called pulse- or titration method.
Chemisorption experiments are often carried out temperature-controlled, please read more at measuring method „temperature-programmed reactions“.
Non-isothermal measurements are carried out usually through linear heating of a sample and continuous recording the changes of the gas composition. Temperature-controlled reactions can involve desorption (TPD), reduction (TPR), oxidation (TPO) and other relevant reactions for the characterization of catalysts.
Before performing temperature-controlled reactions to characterize catalysts the sample is prepared in-situ. Therefore so-called macros are defined, so that the procedure of the sample preparation is done fully automatically. The further approach is then task-oriented: A TPD experiment starts with the adsorption of active gas on a sample (e.g. by pulse chemisorption) followed by the characterization of the temperature-dependent desorption process. TPR reactions are done using a reducing gas, usually H2, TPO experiments are performed with an oxidizing gas, typically O2.
The experiments are carried out in a gas flow and changes in the gas composition are recorded by the thermal conductivity detector. Before performing an experiment, it has to be considered that not only the gas composition has to change during the reaction, also the thermal conductivity has to change due to ad- and desorbing molecules. In principle gases and vapors can be divided up into two main groups regarding their thermal conductivities:
1. H2, He
2. CO, CO2, Ar, NH3, H2O, Pyridin, N2O etc.
By this classification, the experiments can be easily derived. During a chemisorption reaction a gas/vapor from both group has to be present. Examples:
The advantages of temperature-controlled reactions are not only to determine the active sites of catalysts but also determining on the different strengths of chemically active sites due to the temperature dependence.
Clean water is essential across industrial processes, environmental management and public health. However, achieving the required water quality can be challenging when samples contain particles of different sizes, shapes and concentrations. Understanding these characteristics helps researchers and water treatment specialists select suitable filtration technologies, monitor performance and improve treatment efficiency.
At Meritics, we supply a range of analytical technologies that help you investigate particles in water, characterise filter materials and better understand the properties that influence filtration and purification.
Particle size plays an important role in determining how effectively contaminants can be removed from water. Measuring particle size and distribution helps identify the range of particles present, supporting the selection of appropriate filtration systems and treatment processes.
Our particle sizing technologies help you assess particles across a range of sizes, while particle counting provides valuable information about their concentration. These measurements can help monitor water quality, investigate contamination and evaluate changes in particle populations during treatment.
Particle shape can influence how particles behave in water and interact with filtration media. Two particles of similar size may behave differently depending on their morphology.
Meritics offers image analysis technologies that enable you to visualise particles and assess their shape. This additional information can help distinguish different particle types, investigate contaminants and build a more complete picture of your water sample.
Filter performance depends partly on the structure and properties of the filtration material. Our pore size analysers help characterise pore sizes, supporting the evaluation and development of filters for specific applications.
We also offer BET surface area analysis, which measures the specific surface area of materials. This is particularly useful when evaluating adsorbents used to remove contaminants from water, as surface area can influence their adsorption capacity and performance.
From particle sizing and counting to image analysis, pore size measurement and BET surface area analysis, Meritics provides technologies to help you understand your samples and materials.
Contact our specialists at sales@meritics.com to discuss your water treatment application and find the right analytical solution for your needs.
Particle characterisation is vital for ceramic industries as it dictates product quality, performance, and processing efficiency.
Understanding particle size distribution ensures uniformity in properties like strength and shrinkage, crucial for product consistency. Meritics supply particle sizing solutions to customers working with both traditional and advanced ceramics
Particle shape influences packing density and flowability, impacting processing methods and final product properties. Meriitics offer a wide range of shape analysers, we offer stand alone units, modules to compliment your particle sizing and counting instrumentation and sizing instruments with shape analysis built in.
Surface area measurement guides in optimising material reactivity and porosity, essential for functionalities like adsorption and catalysis. Meritics offer comprehensive range of surface area analysers.
We take pride in our reputation for producing high-quality ceramic tiles for both domestic and international markets. However, like any manufacturer, we faced challenges in maintaining consistent quality across our product line despite stringent quality control measures.
Our primary challenge was to reduce defects such as surface imperfections, color variations, and dimensional inconsistencies, which led to increased waste and customer dissatisfaction.
To tackle these challenges head-on, we decided to integrate image analysis technology into our quality control process.
Using Meritics specialist knowledge in particle characterisation instruments we were able to find the best solution to suit our needs. This was a FlowCam 5000, which measures particles in the range of 3 μm to 300 μm
By harnessing the power of image analysis technology, we transformed our quality control process, achieving greater accuracy, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
Meritics provides tailored particle characterisation solutions for the polymers and plastics industries, offering advanced techniques such as laser diffraction and flow imaging microscopy to analyse particle size, shape, and distribution. These solutions optimise material performance, processing, and quality control in polymer and plastic manufacturing processes, ensuring product excellence.
Laser diffraction particle size analysis enhances polymer and plastic production by accurately measuring particle size distribution, optimising formulations, and improving product performance and quality control processes.
Flow imaging microscopy analysis aids polymer and plastic production by providing real-time visualization of particle characteristics, facilitating process optimisation, and ensuring product quality and consistency.
BET surface area analysis supports polymer and plastic production by accurately measuring surface area, aiding in material characterisation, formulation optimisation, and enhancing product performance and quality control processes.
Using a viscometer in polymer and plastic production enables precise characterisation of material flow and viscoelastic properties, optimising processing parameters and ensuring product consistency and performance.
As a leading manufacturer of composite materials, ensuring consistent resin quality is essential for our production processes. Dynamic viscosity is a critical parameter influencing resin flow behavior and final product properties.
We encountered challenges in accurately measuring and monitoring changes in the dynamic viscosity of our resin formulations during processing. Variations in viscosity could lead to inconsistencies in product performance and quality.
To address these challenges, we implemented a viscometer as a key tool in our quality control process. This instrument provided real-time monitoring of resin viscosity, allowing us to make adjustments as needed to maintain optimal processing conditions.
The POROLIQ™ is a liquid-liquid porometer (LLP) that determines pore sizes based on the pressure step stability method. This means that a data point is only accepted on the condition that the user-defined stability algorithms for pressure and flow are met.
The Poroliq provides precise porosity measurement for a wide range of materials, ensuring accurate characterisation of porous structures. This advanced instrument is designed for detailed porosity measurement, including pore size distribution, pore volume, and surface area analysis. Ideal for industries such as pharmaceuticals, materials science, and manufacturing, the Poroliq enhances the understanding of material properties and performance. Its high sensitivity and user-friendly interface make it suitable for both laboratory and industrial applications, ensuring reliable and comprehensive data for quality control, research, and development.
The POROLIQ™ – widely regarded as the most accurate liquid-liquid porometer on the market – is very well suited to detect very small pores, as well as to characterize pressure sensitive membranes such as hollow fibers.
The instrument will first detect the opening of a pore at a certain pressure but will wait until all pores of the same diameter are completely opened before accepting the data point. This method results in a very accurate pore size measurement, down to 2 nm, and allows to calculate the true pore size distribution.
All our porometers are designed and manufactured in-house, enabling us to equip our instruments with the best and latest technology.
The POROLIQ™ stands out of the crowd with its intelligent sensor switching, making sure that throughout the entire measurement the most suitable sensor is always engaged, resulting in very accurate measurements. Additionally, the Porometer is equipped with a highly advanced, multilevel stability algorithm for characterisation of complex pore structures. A more advanced and representative characterisation of your through pores is not possible!
Even though our software is powerful and comprehensive, it’s also very intuitive and easy to use.
By allowing to change many parameters with a click of the mouse, the software enables its many users to tune the measurement to their exact needs. Additionally, the software, with built-in intelligence, gives the user access to many advanced functions, such as the re-evaluation function and the observation window.
Furthermore, our porometers are equipped with an onboard ethernet port allowing remote access via the internet for installation, support, and diagnosis.
With one click of the button, results are exported in word, excel or pdf. The Porometer software makes it very easy to present multiple measurements next to each other, allowing for a straightforward comparison between different filter media. Thanks to the adjustable scales, graphs such as wet and dry curve and pore size distribution are presented in a very clear and sophisticated manner.
| POROLIQ™ | ||
|---|---|---|
| AQ | ML | |
| Measurement mode | Full porometry | Full porometry |
| Method | Pressure step/stability | Pressure step/stability |
| Max pressure | 40 bar/580 psi | 40 bar/580 psi |
| Min pore (1) | 2 nm | 2 nm |
| Max pore (1) | 0,3 µm | 1 µm |
| Flow range | <1 μl/min – 10 ml/min | 1 μl/min – 10 ml/min |
| Dimensions (DxWxH) | 510x510x760 mm | 510x510x760 mm |
| Weight | 80 kg | 80 kg |
| Displacement liquid | water-based | multiple liquids |
(1) depending on the wetting liquid
Specially designed inlay for 25 mm sample holder for horizontal measurements of hollow fibers.
Specially designed inlay for 25 mm sample holder for vertical measurements of hollow fibers (pack of 5 pcs).
Special sample tablet designed to host an inlay and a sample.
For the sample holder for flat sheet sample (inner diameter 4 or 8.8).
The POROLUX™ BP is a bubble point tester, used to measure the largest pore size – often referred to as ‘bubble point (BP)’ – in media that are used for filtration and separation applications.
The Porolux BP excels in pore size analysis by precisely determining the largest pore size through bubble point measurement. This pore size analysis technique involves assessing the pressure at which gas displaces liquid from the largest pores, providing accurate data on pore structure. Ideal for characterising materials like membranes, filters, and powders, the Porolux BP ensures reliable results for both research and industrial applications. With its advanced technology, the Porolux BP delivers detailed pore size analysis, enhancing material performance evaluation and quality control processes. This makes it an essential tool for accurate and comprehensive pore size analysis.
POROLUX™ BP delivers quick and accurate results of the first bubble point in the pressure range from 0 bar (0 psi) up to 5 bar (75 psi) and detects pores from ca. 300 μm down to 0.13 μm.
Thanks to its simplified operation, the POROLUX™ BP provides highly reproducible results for both the BP x-ml and BP dPL bubble point. This makes the POROLUX™ BP a clear choice for quality control and/or R&D in many companies producing filtration and separation media.
The ASTM F-316-03 standard defines the BP as ‘the pressure at which the first continuous stream of gas bubbles is detected’.
While this is based on visual detection, the POROLUX™ BP now offers a fully automated way to determine the bubble point.
The POROLUX™ BP can detect both the BP x-ml and BP dPL bubble point. The BP dPL is the bubble point measured as a deviation from the linearity of a user-defined pressure increase, while BP x-ml is the bubble point measured at a user-defined flow rate.
It is evident that the dPL bubble point generates highly reproducible measurements with correspondingly low scatter. The dPL bubble point is typically very accurate. However, at high pressures, the dPL bubble point can be falsely created by turbulence. In this case, we advise using the BP x-ml.
The instrument determines the bubble point by using digital pressure and flow sensors. In this way, the chance of a human error or the subjective operator’s opinion is eliminated. This helps to standardize the filter media testing in terms of consistency and reliability.
|
Max pressure
|
5 bar/75 psi |
|
Min pore (1)
|
0,13 µm |
|
Max pore (1)
|
300 µm |
|
Max flow
|
150ml/min |
|
Bubble point
|
BP x-ml and BP dPL (*) |
|
Dimensions
|
350x400x350 mm |
|
Weight
|
10 kg |
(1) Depending on the wetting liquid.
(*) BP x-ml is the bubble point measured at a user-defined flow rate. BP dPL is the bubble point measured as a deviation from the linearity of a user-defined pressure increase.
The POROLUX™ Revo, the successor of the POROLUX™ 1000, is the revolution in porometry for porous materials. Setting the bar in step stability method with our patent pending MP² (Multistage Pressure Process) technology, the POROLUX™ Revo delivers the most accurate and reproducible pore size measurements, in the highest resolution.
Measuring porous materials with the Porolux Revo provides accurate and detailed insights into pore size and distribution. This advanced analyser utilises cutting-edge technology to assess porosity, including pore volume and surface area. Ideal for materials such as membranes, filters, and powders, the Porolux Revo enhances quality control and research by delivering reliable, high-resolution data. Its user-friendly interface and precise measurements make it an essential tool for thorough porous materials analysis.
MP² stands for Multistage Pressure Process. This innovative technology ensures a smooth pressure increase during the measurement and speeds up the process of reaching flow and pressure stability.
This advanced pressure built-up process makes it possible to do the measurements with smaller, and perfectly uniform pressure steps, leading to the most accurate and reproducible pore size results. Additionally, the technology makes it possible to record more data points in the pore opening region, resulting in more detailed pore size distribution curves.
The POROLUX™ Revo detects the opening of a pore at a certain pressure and waits until all pores of the same diameter are completely opened before accepting the data point. This method results in a very accurate pore size measurement and allows to calculate the true pore size distribution.
Additionally, the instrument can determine the bubble point in three different ways (largest pore according to ASTM F-316-03), a very unique feature in the market of porometry.
Next to that, results on mean flow pore size, smallest pore, pore size distribution, cumulative flow distribution & gas permeability are reported. With our enhanced mathematical model, we can also obtain additional results such as total pore number and total pore area.
Not only is the fully integrated software powerful and comprehensive, it is also very intuitive and easy to use.
By allowing to change many parameters with a click of the mouse, the software enables its many users to tune the measurement to their exact needs. Additionally, the software, with built-in intelligence, gives the user access to many advanced functions, such as the re-evaluation function and the observation window.
Last but not least, the POROLUX™ Revo software comes with a very advanced curve smoothing and fitting function.
With one click of the button, results are exported in word, excel or pdf. The Porometer software makes it very easy to present multiple measurements next to each other, allowing for a straightforward comparison between different filter media.
Thanks to the adjustable scales, graphs such as wet and dry curve and pore size distribution are presented in a very clear and sophisticated manner.
| POROLUX™ Revo | ||
|---|---|---|
| Technique | Gas-liquid porometry | |
| Measurement method | Pressure step/stability with patent pending MP² technology | |
| Max pressure | 35 bar/500 psi | |
| Min pore (1) | 13 nm | |
| Max pore (1) | 500 µm | |
| Max flow | 200 l/min | |
| Bubble point | BP dPL, BP x-ml, BP pCF (*) | |
| Dimensions (DxWxH) | 530x530x755 mm | |
| Weight | 70 kg |
(1) Depending on the wetting liquid.
(*) BP dPL is the bubble point measured as a deviation from the linearity of a user-defined pressure increase. BP x-ml is the bubble point measured at a user-defined flow rate. BP pCF is the bubble point measured as a user-defined percentage of the cumulative flow.
Sample holder 3 diameters in 1 (13, 25 and 47 mm).
Specially designed sample holder for hollow fibres, including 5 sealant rings.
External sample holder for samples of thickness up to 10 mm.
Porometer can also create customer specific sample holders to meet special requirements, such as measuring thick samples, samples with larger diameters, working with assembled filter setups, etc.
The liquid permeability extension performs a fully automatic measurement of the flow of liquid through a membrane or filter at a predefined pressure. The liquid is then collected in a receptacle and the weight data – which is recorded by the balance – is automatically transferred to the operating software, which calculates the liquid permeability.
This method is user friendly, very accurate and is strongly recommended when a lot of liquid permeability measurements are envisaged. The advanced liquid permeability extension consists of a hardware extension – including the liquid tank, an external sample holder, a balance and all tubing and connections, as well as a software extension.
Filter paper plays an important role in laboratory and industrial filtration, acting as a semi-permeable barrier that allows certain components of a suspension to pass through while retaining others. Manufacturers produce filter paper from a variety of raw materials, including softwood, hardwood, fibre crops and mineral fibres. These materials influence the structure, permeability and filtration performance of the finished product.
Paper and wet-laid fibrous media serve a wide range of applications, from routine laboratory analysis to industrial separation processes. To achieve consistent filtration performance, manufacturers need to understand how the pore structure affects fluid flow and particle retention. Accurate pore size characterisation helps them evaluate filter quality, compare materials and optimise production processes.
Pore size and pore size distribution directly influence the performance of porous filtration materials. Variations in these characteristics can affect permeability, separation efficiency and the ability of a filter to retain particles of different sizes. Reliable measurements therefore play an essential role in product development and quality control.
Porometry provides a practical method for characterising the pore structure of paper filters. By measuring pore sizes, laboratories can obtain valuable data to assess material properties and identify differences between samples. Reproducible results also allow manufacturers to monitor production consistency and make informed decisions when developing or selecting filtration media.
The POROLUX™ Cito pore size analyser offers a specialised solution for measuring the pore characteristics of paper filters. Designed to support efficient and reliable analysis, the instrument helps laboratories obtain fast, reproducible results while simplifying the measurement process.
Its user-friendly software interface makes it easier to conduct measurements, review data and present results clearly. This straightforward workflow supports routine testing and helps users interpret pore size measurements without unnecessary complexity.
Whether analysing laboratory filter papers or industrial wet-laid fibrous media, the POROLUX™ Cito provides a practical approach to pore size characterisation. By combining efficient testing with clear data presentation, it helps laboratories assess filter properties, support quality control and improve confidence in filtration material performance.
Hollow fiber filters are used in many different filtration applications, and determining the pore sizes is of crucial importance. An extra challenge is that hollow fiber membranes are often delicate and subject to stretching, deformation, and even rupture. Therefore, selecting the proper instrument to properly measure your hollow fiber membrane is key.
The POROLUX™ and POROLIQ™ series are the reference for hollow fiber measurements. Our customers appreciate the technology and ease of use of the instruments, but above all that we can recommend the best technique to measure their hollow fibers.
Additionally, our specially designed sample holder allows for easy adaptation and testing of fibers of various internal and external diameters.
Metal-based filter media play an important role in filtration and separation processes across a wide range of industries. Manufacturers produce these materials in various shapes and structures to meet the demands of applications that require reliable performance under challenging operating conditions. Their high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, porosity and permeability make them suitable for demanding environments, while their mechanical strength and durability support long-term use.
These properties make metal filters valuable in industries such as chemical processing, energy, automotive engineering and industrial manufacturing. However, their performance depends not only on the material itself but also on the characteristics of its pore structure.
Pore size and pore size distribution directly influence the filtration properties of metal-based media. These characteristics affect fluid permeability, particle retention and separation efficiency, making accurate pore characterisation essential for product development and quality control.
Variations in pore structure can lead to differences in filtration performance, even between filters made from similar materials. Measuring pore sizes helps manufacturers evaluate material consistency, compare filter designs and select suitable media for specific applications.
Porometry provides a reliable method for characterising these pore structures. Gas–liquid porometry measures pore sizes by analysing the pressure required to displace a wetting liquid from the pores of a sample. This approach enables laboratories to obtain valuable information about the pore structure and assess the suitability of metal filters for their intended use.
POROLUX™ gas–liquid porometers offer a practical solution for measuring the pore sizes and pore size distribution of metal-based filter media. These instruments help laboratories characterise porous materials and generate data that supports product evaluation and manufacturing quality control.
By providing accurate pore structure measurements, POROLUX™ porometers help users understand the relationship between filter structure and filtration performance. Laboratories can use these results to compare materials, investigate variations between samples and support the development of reliable filtration solutions.
Whether testing metal filters for demanding industrial processes or evaluating new porous material designs, accurate pore size analysis provides essential insight into filter performance. POROLUX™ porometers help make this characterisation process straightforward, supporting informed decisions throughout research, development and production.
Ceramic filters combine a hard, often rough exterior with a porous internal structure, making them suitable for a wide range of industrial filtration and separation applications. Available in various forms, including tubes, sheets and membranes, porous ceramics provide reliable performance in demanding operating environments.
Their resistance to thermal and physical shock, relatively low pressure drop and lightweight structure offer significant advantages across numerous industries. These properties make ceramic filtration media particularly valuable in applications where materials must withstand challenging conditions while maintaining effective filtration performance.
However, the effectiveness of a ceramic filter depends on more than its material composition. Its internal pore structure also plays a critical role in determining permeability, particle retention and separation efficiency.
Accurate pore size measurement helps manufacturers and researchers understand the structure and performance of porous ceramic materials. Pore size and pore size distribution influence how fluids pass through a filter and which particles the material retains.
Variations in pore structure can affect filtration efficiency, flow rates and product consistency. Characterising these properties allows laboratories to compare ceramic materials, evaluate manufacturing processes and select suitable filters for specific applications.
Porometry provides a valuable method for investigating the pore structure of porous ceramics. By measuring pore sizes, users can obtain important data to support material development, product validation and quality control. However, the measurement technique must suit the characteristics of the sample to deliver meaningful results.
POROLUX™ porometers provide a solution for characterising pore sizes in porous ceramic media, regardless of whether manufacturers produce them as tubes, sheets, membranes or other forms. Their measurement capabilities help laboratories investigate pore structures and assess the properties of different ceramic filtration materials.
Accurate pore characterisation supports better-informed decisions throughout research, development and production. By understanding pore size distribution, manufacturers can evaluate material consistency and gain greater insight into filtration performance.
Whether testing established ceramic filters or developing new porous materials, POROLUX™ porometers help laboratories investigate critical pore characteristics and support the development of reliable, high-performance filtration solutions.
Nonwoven materials play an essential role in filtration across a wide range of industries. Manufacturers use these versatile materials in air-conditioning systems, face masks, water purification, blood filtration and pharmaceutical processing. Each application demands specific filtration properties to achieve reliable performance, maintain product quality and meet relevant industry requirements.
Manufacturers can produce nonwovens using different processes, including spunbond and meltblown techniques. These methods, alongside factors such as material composition and weight, influence the material’s strength, durability and filtration characteristics.
However, pore size also plays a crucial role in determining how effectively a nonwoven captures particles while allowing fluids or gases to pass through. Manufacturers must understand the pore structure to select suitable materials for their intended applications. Pore size distribution can also affect permeability, flow rates and filtration efficiency, making accurate characterisation an important part of product development and quality control.
Capillary flow porometry provides a straightforward and reliable method for characterising the pore structure of nonwoven filter media. The technique measures pore sizes by comparing gas flow through a dry sample with flow through the same sample after a wetting liquid fills its pores.
This approach helps manufacturers assess key pore characteristics, including the largest pores, mean flow pore size and pore size distribution. These measurements support material selection, product development and routine quality assurance, helping manufacturers maintain consistent performance between production batches.
Our POROLUX™ porometers deliver fast, reproducible measurements that help manufacturers make informed decisions about their filtration materials. The POROLUX™ Cito L has established a strong reputation within the nonwoven media industry, providing a practical solution for pore size characterisation.
By understanding the pore structure of nonwoven materials, manufacturers can optimise filtration performance, compare materials and support consistent product quality across a wide range of applications.
Polymeric membranes play an essential role in a wide range of filtration processes, from water treatment to industrial separation. Their performance depends largely on their ability to separate particles and substances according to size. Pore size and pore size distribution are key factors that determine membrane selectivity, influencing which particles pass through the membrane and which it retains.
Accurate membrane analysis helps researchers and manufacturers understand these characteristics and assess filtration performance. By measuring pore sizes and their distribution, they can evaluate membrane quality, improve product consistency and select suitable membranes for specific applications.
Gas–liquid and liquid–liquid porometry provide reliable methods for analysing polymeric membranes. These techniques measure pore characteristics and help users assess the structure and performance of different membrane materials. They also support the development of more efficient filtration systems by providing accurate, reproducible measurements.
Porometry works well with both flat-sheet and hollow-fibre membranes, making it a versatile solution for laboratories that test different membrane formats. This flexibility allows researchers and quality control teams to carry out membrane analysis across a broad range of applications, while maintaining confidence in their measurement results.
Choosing the right measurement technique helps laboratories obtain meaningful data and make informed decisions about membrane performance. Accurate pore size characterisation supports quality control, product development and the optimisation of filtration processes.
POROLUX™ and POROLIQ™ porometers offer specialised solutions for gas–liquid and liquid–liquid porometry. Their measurement capabilities help membrane laboratories characterise pore structures and evaluate polymeric membranes with confidence.
By combining suitable porometry techniques with accurate measurement, laboratories can gain a clearer understanding of membrane properties and make better-informed decisions throughout research, development and production. Effective membrane analysis therefore remains an important part of developing reliable polymeric membranes and achieving consistent filtration performance.
The POROLUX™ Cito series are gas-liquid porometers (GLP) that determine pore sizes based on the pressure scan method. This is a fast, yet reproducible method whereby air pressure is continually increased while the resulting flow rates are recorded simultaneously.
The Porolux Cito Pore Size Analyser offers precise pore size analysis, delivering accurate measurements of pore volume and distribution. As a leading pore size analyser, it is designed for rapid and reliable characterisation of various materials. This pore size analyser ensures detailed insights into material properties, making it essential for applications in research and quality control. Its advanced technology and user-friendly interface make the Porolux Cito an indispensable tool for comprehensive pore size analysis.
Our POROLUX™ Cito technology stands for fast and reproducible measurements of through pores in filtration and separation media.
The instruments determine the first bubble point (largest pore-ASTM F-316), mean flow pore size, smallest pore, pore size distribution,cumulative flow distribution & gas permeability with the highest accuracy in the whole pressure range.
Measurement after measurement, our porometers get you the most accurate and reliable results on the pore sizes of your materials.
The POROLUX™ Cito series stands out of the crowd with its intelligent sensor switching. This ensures that the most suitable sensor is always engaged throughout the entire measurement.
As a result, very accurate measurements are obtained. Additionally, the porometers allow taking up to 400 real (measured) data points, resulting in the best possible resolution.
Even though our software is powerful and comprehensive, it’s also very intuitive and easy to use.
By allowing to change many parameters with a click of the mouse, the software enables its many users to tune the measurement to their exact needs. Additionally, the software, with built-in intelligence, gives the user access to many advanced functions, such as the re-evaluation function and the observation window.
Furthermore, our porometers are equipped with an onboard ethernet port allowing remote access via the internet for installation, support, and diagnosis.
With one click of the button, results are exported in word, excel or pdf. The Porometer software makes it very easy to present multiple measurements next to each other, allowing for a straightforward comparison between different filter media.
Thanks to the adjustable scales, graphs such as wet and dry curve and pore size distribution are presented in a very clear and sophisticated manner.
| POROLUX™ Cito | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cito L | Cito M | Cito | ||
| Technique | Gas-liquid porometry | Gas-liquid porometry | Gas-liquid porometry | |
| Measurement method | Pressure Scan | Pressure Scan | Pressure Scan | |
| Max pressure | 1.5 bar/22 psi | 7 bar/100 psi | 35 bar/500 psi | |
| Min pore (1) | 0.427 µm | 0.091 µm | 13 nm | |
| Max pore (1) | 500 µm | 500 µm | 500 µm | |
| Max flow | 200 l/min | 200 l/min | 200 l/min | |
| Bubble point | BP x-ml and BP pCF (*) | BP x-ml and BP pCF (*) | BP x-ml and BP pCF (*) | |
| Dimensions (DxWxH) | 530x530x560 mm | 530x530x560 mm | 530x530x560 mm | |
| Weight | 30 kg | 30 kg | 35 kg |
(1) Depending on the wetting liquid.
(*) BP x-ml is the bubble point measured at a user-defined flow rate. BP pCF is the bubble point measured as a user-defined percentage of the cumulative flow.
Sample holder 3 diameters in 1 (13, 25 and 47 mm).
Specially designed sample holder for hollow fibres, including 5 sealant rings.
External sample holder for samples of thickness up to 10 mm.
Porometer can also create customer specific sample holders to meet special requirements, such as measuring thick samples, samples with larger diameters, working with assembled filter setups, etc.
Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles (EVs), 30-150 nm in diameter, which have been determined to play a crucial role in extracellular signaling. They have been observed in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, meaning they are incredibly widely spread in nature. Exosomes bud off from their parent cells in a sealed package, taking the properties of their parent cell walls with them and encasing many intracellular components. A wide variety of bioactive markers have been found encased in exosomes including but not limited to proteins, lipids, DNA, and RNA. Upon formation, exosomes are released into the extracellular space and have been found in many body fluids including: blood, urine, saliva, and breast milk.
The diversity of this cargo has led to exosomes having a litany of roles within the body including but not limited to: immune regulation, tissue regeneration, cancer progression, and neurodegenerative diseases. This application note examines how the ViewSizer is an excellent tool for characterizing the size and concentration of EVs and that it can detect labeled populations of fluorescently tagged exosomes with high repeatability and accuracy.
Plastic is a type of material that is resistant to degradation and is practically indestructible. While plastic will break down into fragments and fragments will become microplastics (1 µm to 5 mm*) and become nanoplastics via photo-oxidative mechanisms, plastic fundamentally remains the same throughout the process. Nanoparticles can gain access through inhalation, ingestion, or dermal exposure and have greater cellular uptake than those bigger in size. Nanoparticles subsequently pose a greater impact on health. The concern of water contamination from nanoplastics (≤ 1 µm) is, therefore, a study receiving close scrutiny from FDA and EPA alike.
* Size-based nomenclature per Section 116376 of the State of California Health and Safety Code
One of the proven methods of tackling microplastics applications is the use of Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectroscopy allows chemical identification of organic and inorganic particles, giving clues to the origins of the plastic. When Raman is coupled with ParticleFinder, the subsampling of microplastics by particle size and shape can be automated well within the software. HORIBA Scientific offers a microplastics solution; click to read the latest development and academic collaboration on Microplastics Analysis.
Particles smaller than 1 µm, however, are tedious and difficult to quantify using spectroscopy or other traditional techniques. In a recent publication, Yang et al used the ViewSizer 3000 multispectral Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (m NTA) technique to study transport of microplastics from ocean to atmosphere via sea spray aerosolization. The experiment utilized m NTA’s ability to accurately count particles in a complex environmental matrix, and in so doing, refuted the popular belief that ocean contributes to the majority of plastic in air.
While counting only plastic nanoparticles among all other materials in water is still an application in progress involving proper particle staining procedure, here we offer examples of nanoparticle counts in three drinking water sources:
The analysis workflow is straightforward. 500 µL of water was transferred directly from the source to the measurement cell. Three simultaneous operating lasers (635 nm, 520 nm, 445 nm) were then used to collect and track particles until a statistically significant number of particles were collected over 50 videos or approximately 30 minutes. The analyses below are average results of triplicates. It demonstrated that although bottled water is marketed as cleaner and superior, the data beg to differ. Home RO water shows the lowest nanoparticle count overall compared to its similarly filtered water from 365 Everyday Value. Icelandic Spring Water contains the highest number of particles per mL.
The ViewSizer™ 3000 enables scientists to visualize and quantify the kinetics of protein aggregation in real-time for biologic therapeutics under a variety of stress conditions including agitation, temperature and the addition of contaminants. The case study featured here validates these capabilities for agitation and temperature stress conditions with the 100 mg/mL mAb A. These insights support the development of stable, effective and safe biologic products.
In this study, we demonstrate the ViewSizer 3000’s capabilities as a next generation NTA based analysis instrument in order to accurately and efficiently measure and characterize exosomes via particle size and concentration.
It tracks particle Brownian motion. Distinct from the conventional NTA systems that uses one laser (one wavelength) to illuminate particles in the colloid, the ViewSizer 3000 instrument includes a patented system of three solid-state lasers with wavelengths of 445 nm, 520 nm, and 635 nm. Due to the range of laser powers used, varying the power a wider range of particle sizes in the same sample can be analyzed. The combination of the 3 lasers overcomes the common drawback of conventional NTA which is the failure to size particles accurately in a polydisperse sample.
Protein aggregation presents a significant challenge during the development, manufacture and storage of biotherapeutic products. These medicines contain proteins that can form aggregates when environmental conditions or handling procedures affect their stability. Subvisible particles deserve particular attention because they can escape visual inspection and, in some cases, trigger unwanted immune responses that may compromise patient safety.
Manufacturers and researchers must therefore understand how protein aggregates form, how their populations change over time and how different conditions influence their size and concentration. Accurate protein aggregation analysis provides valuable data to support formulation development, product quality assessment and risk management.
Temperature fluctuations, mechanical shear, high protein concentrations and extended storage can all influence protein stability and aggregation. By investigating these stress factors, researchers can identify conditions that encourage particle formation and assess how formulations respond to different handling and storage environments.
Measuring particle size distribution alongside particle concentration helps researchers compare samples and treatments objectively. These measurements can reveal changes that other analytical techniques may overlook, particularly when researchers need to characterise subvisible particles across a range of sizes.
The ViewSizer 3000 uses nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) to characterise particles by tracking their Brownian motion and analysing their light-scattering behaviour. Its three-laser optical system helps researchers analyse heterogeneous particle populations across a broad size range.
For protein aggregation studies, the ViewSizer 3000 provides particle size and concentration data that help researchers investigate aggregation behaviour and compare the effects of different experimental conditions. This information supports a more detailed understanding of particle populations during formulation development and stability investigations.
Reliable protein aggregation analysis helps researchers make informed decisions about formulation composition, handling procedures and storage conditions. By monitoring particle size and concentration, teams can identify potential stability issues earlier and build a stronger evidence base for product quality assessments.
Discover how the ViewSizer 3000 NTA Analyser can help you characterise subvisible particles and investigate protein aggregation to support the development of high-quality biotherapeutics.
In this note, we will briefly explore the history of powder metallurgy and then examine the importance of powder quality to the production of nanomaterials. Using a case study from the Vecchio lab at the University of California, San Diego, we will highlight the necessity of accurate particle sizing in the production of nanoparticles by spark erosion. Data from the ViewSizer 3000 indicates that particle quality and process control can be heavily reliant on capacitance charge, and that the choice of liquid dielectric has a significant impact on the resulting size distribution.
Careful control of the particulates in whiskey is an important step to quality flavor and color. Inadequate monitoring of particle size impedes the final product stability, consistency, quality, and price. In this note, the particle science behind these determining factors will be thoroughly examined and explained.
Emulsion polymerisation plays an important role in producing polymer nanoparticles for a wide range of scientific and industrial applications. The process involves polymerising monomers within an emulsion to create particles dispersed in a liquid medium. Researchers can control factors such as formulation, reaction conditions and processing parameters to influence the properties of the resulting nanoparticles.
However, achieving consistent particle characteristics requires more than controlling the reaction itself. Researchers also need reliable analytical methods to measure nanoparticle concentration and understand how changes in the polymerisation process affect the final product.
Nanoparticle concentration provides valuable information about the efficiency and consistency of an emulsion polymerisation process. Changes in concentration can help researchers investigate particle formation, compare experimental conditions and assess the performance of different formulations.
Accurate concentration measurements also support product optimisation. By monitoring nanoparticle populations, researchers can evaluate how processing adjustments influence the resulting material and make informed decisions about reaction conditions. This information becomes particularly valuable when developing specialised nanoparticles for advanced research applications.
The ViewSizer 3000 from HORIBA uses nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) to characterise particles in suspension. The instrument tracks the Brownian motion of individual particles and analyses their light-scattering behaviour to determine particle size and concentration.
This approach provides researchers with useful information about nanoparticle populations, helping them compare samples and investigate variations in particle formation. Combining concentration measurements with particle size analysis can offer a more complete understanding of the relationship between process conditions and product characteristics.
This application note explores the history, theory and processes behind emulsion polymerisation, highlighting the importance of measuring latex nanoparticle concentration. It also presents a case study from the Gianneschi laboratory at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), which developed a biotechnology application using these nanoparticles.
The case study includes data collected with HORIBA’s ViewSizer 3000, demonstrating how nanoparticle analysis can support research and process optimisation. Discover how accurate concentration measurements can help researchers refine emulsion polymerisation processes, understand nanoparticle behaviour and improve product consistency.
The viral vector market has grown significantly with the development of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), including gene therapies. As researchers progress through clinical development and move towards commercial manufacturing, they need reliable analytical methods to characterise viral preparations and assess product quality.
However, viral particles present several analytical challenges. Their size, concentration and physical properties can vary, making it difficult to obtain a complete picture of a sample using a single measurement. Researchers must also understand how the number of particles relates to their ability to infect target cells, as particle concentration alone does not establish biological activity.
Infectious titre measures the concentration of infectious viral particles within a preparation. This information helps researchers evaluate viral vector production, compare batches and assess the effectiveness of upstream processing.
Accurately characterising viral preparations requires techniques that provide meaningful particle data while helping researchers manage development time and costs. By measuring particle size and concentration, scientists can gain valuable insight into the composition of their samples and investigate how these measurements relate to infectious titre.
Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) offers a way to characterise particles in suspension by tracking their Brownian motion and analysing their light-scattering behaviour. The ViewSizer 3000 uses a multi-laser optical system to improve the analysis of heterogeneous particle populations, helping researchers measure particle size and concentration across a broad range.
In viral vector research, these measurements can support the characterisation of viral preparations and help researchers explore relationships between total particle concentration and infectivity data obtained through appropriate biological assays.
This application note explores the challenges of analysing viral preparations during upstream processing and examines multi-laser NTA as a time- and cost-efficient approach to particle characterisation. It discusses how particle size and concentration measurements can contribute to investigations into infectious titre.
Discover how the ViewSizer 3000 can support viral vector research by providing detailed particle data to help researchers assess preparations, compare samples and make informed decisions during process development. NTA complements infectivity assays rather than replacing them, helping researchers build a more comprehensive understanding of viral vector quality.
Size matters in vaccine delivery systems. Nanoparticles smaller than 200 nm generally present a greater immunogenic response than micro-particles larger than 1 micron. This rather simple statement is based on the common understanding that particles with sizes resembling the dimensions of viruses are treated like viruses by the body. In the case of manufacturing for novel COVID-19 vaccine, adenovirus around the same size as SARS-Cov-2 (median of roughly 90-100 nanometers) are manipulated as carriers (or viral vectors) to trigger spike proteins production. In contrast, published literature showed that the effect of vaccines given orally, intranasally, or via other mucosal surfaces favor micro- over nanoparticulate formulations due to higher antigen load. The size of the impurities also significantly affects vaccine efficacy. In sum, many vaccine formulation ingredients should have controlled particulate size, size distribution, and count throughout the process of development, manufacturing, storage, and administration.
The upstream process of vaccine preparations requires careful virus characterization to achieve optimized infectivity and stability. Infectious titers are used to determine the concentration of viral particles that can transduce cells and its virus load in a sample. Two established analytical techniques to measure infectious titers are:
Both approaches quantify the amount of virus present in a solution. Viral Plaque Assay for lentivirus, for example, takes up to two weeks of incubation time to determine its result in a form of Plaque Forming Units (PFU) per mL. The counting of PFU is also subjective, resulting in low reproducibility from one analyst to another. qPCR, on the other hand, does not discriminate between whole, broken, empty, aggregates, infectious or non-infectious viruses; it merely determines relative viral gene expression and correlates the value back to PFU. The drawback is that the qPCR requires prior knowledge of the viral genome sequence, can be costly, and analyzes concentration of genomic material, not infectious virus since uncoated RNA or DNA may exist in a sample, but, without a coat, be unable to enter a cell.
Figure 1: Measurement result of a human viral vector sample. Note the distribution displayed presence of both host cell debris and aggregates.
Particle concentration analysis results from ViewSizer 3000™ multi-laser Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) correlate with PFU, similar to qPCR. Due to three simultaneous operating lasers, it quantifies not only the intact viral particles but also infectious aggregates. Figure 1 demonstrates the measured size distribution of a sample of human viral vector, a virus candidate used in vaccine manufacturing. Note the significant population of larger particles.
Download Application Note 1: Achieving Infectious Titer with multi-laser Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) on the right hand side
The ability to effectively analyze the entire size range allows the ViewSizer 3000 to successfully correlate known infectious titer to the total particle concentration with a R2 value of greater than 0.9, proving the multi-laser NTA technique a new, cost-effective and time-efficient alternative to VPA and qPCR.
Figure 2: Infectious titer correlation.
Virus-like particles (VLP) are meant to mimic the virus of interest to provoke a therapeutic effect (such as immunity) without the expense of virus or risk of infection. They have been the focus of countless investigations on innovative vaccines. The size of VLPs is similar to that of viruses, which typically ranges from a few tens to a few hundred nanometers. Laser diffraction is an ensemble technique that allows quick, routine analysis. The technique is also fundamentally more sensitive to larger particles such as contaminants. Depending on how the VLP is manufactured, fragments of starting material will likely be present in the sample at larger sizes than the VLP itself. This arises when materials (such as emulsions) are prepared with a large or broad size distribution and then the size reduced to produce a final product. Remaining large particles can lead or unwanted immune response or issues with filtration in subsequent processing (such as filtration sterilization). To analyze viruses and VLP alike, it is essential a technique covers a wide dynamic particle range.
An example size result (below Figure 3) shows three separate populations. The finest (smallest particle size) population is the VLP itself. The remaining populations (with diameters over about 1 micron) are starting material that has not yet been sheared or otherwise milled to finer sizes. The LA-960 can report size metrics for the entire population as well as metrics for each individual population using the Multimodal Report.
Figure 3: Particle size distribution and results for a VLP material as measured by the LA-960. This sample shows three separate populations. The finest (smallest particle size) population is the VLP itself. The remaining populations (with diameters over about 1 micron) are starting material that has not yet been sheared or otherwise milled to finer sizes.
A subgroup of extracellular vesicles (EV) known as exosomes play an increasingly important and intricate role in diagnosis and treatments of various diseases. They are responsible for transferring genetic material and cell-to-cell communication by carrying various nucleic acids, including RNA, lipids and proteins. Its immunogenic properties reportedly correlate with the amount of associated antigens, according to many published reports, thus, creating an opportunity for potential vaccine development.
Exosome particle size and concentration are especially scrutinized as they present important clinical information. To date, however, EV research still lacks standardization for its purification process. It also have been limited by the analytical technologies used to measure them. It is well understood, however, that EVs are a heterogeneous group of particles with a range of sizes and biogenesis; the size distribution are expected to be wide, even after processing.
The ViewSizer 3000 features three simultaneous operating lasers at 635 nm (red), 520 nm (green), 445 (blue) and a color camera to accurately visualize particles of large dynamic range. It overcomes the common drawback of conventional NTA, which is the failure to size particles accurately in a polydisperse sample. Human Preadipocyte (Mesenchymal Stem Cell) Exosomes (100 ug) samples acquired from ZenBio was measured using the ViewSizer 3000. The result was validated by a tunable resistive plug sensing technique and showed a profile with D50 particle diameter of 148 nm and total particle concentration of 5.7 x 107 particles/mL.
Figure 4: Particle size and concentration distribution of exosome.
Download Application Note 2: Particle Size Distribution and Concentration of Exosomes
Viruses, VLP’s (such as adjuvants) and exosomes can be analyzed for size and concentration using a multi-laser nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) instrument, the ViewSizer 3000. Most samples show a wide size distribution that frustrates single laser NTA. If only size distribution is needed, such as in a size reduction process, laser diffraction has also proven useful.
The Flowing Gas Technique for determining BET Surface Area has been in use for over 70 years. Many facets of the technology make it a very attractive alternative to the Static-Volumetric approach.
First and foremost is the fact that the detection is done by measuring a gas concentration difference instead of an absolute pressure. Difference measurements are typically more accurate than many absolute measurements.
The speed of analysis and the resulting high sample throughput is also quite attractive. As a result, for routine QA/QC analysis, there has been a renewal of interest in this technique.
A feasibility study to measure low specific surface areas with the SA-9600 Series was performed using Certified Reference Materials BCR 169, 170 and 172 from the European Commission Joint Research Centre. The reference materials consist of two alpha-alumina powders and one quartz powder, with certified values 0.1, 1.05, 2.56 m2/gram, respectively. The results show the SA-9600 can measure low specific surface area, with great agreement with certified values.
Powder metallurgy transforms metal into powder and consolidates it into finished components through processes such as sintering, compaction, blending, injection moulding and extrusion. This technology also plays a vital role in 3D additive manufacturing and supports traditional applications, including orthopaedic implants, dental restorations and paint pigments.
The success of these processes depends on how well manufacturers understand and control their metal powder properties. Particle size, shape, porosity and specific surface area all influence powder behaviour, processing efficiency and final product quality.
Manufacturers need consistent powder characteristics to achieve reliable results. Particle size distribution affects packing density, while particle shape influences flowability and compaction. These properties can determine how evenly a powder fills a mould, spreads across a build platform or consolidates during sintering.
Specific surface area also provides valuable information about a metal powder’s characteristics. It describes the total surface area of particles per unit of mass and helps manufacturers understand the relationship between particle structure and material performance.
A metal powder with a low specific surface area generally presents less exposed surface per unit of mass. This characteristic may indicate larger particles, a more compact particle structure or fewer accessible pores, although particle size and shape also influence the result.
Manufacturers can use specific surface area measurements to compare materials, assess consistency between batches and investigate changes in powder production. For applications such as additive manufacturing, these insights can support better material selection and process control.
Techniques such as gas adsorption BET analysis help manufacturers quantify specific surface area, while particle size analysers and image analysis systems measure particle size distribution and shape. Combining these techniques provides a more complete understanding of metal powder behaviour.
By measuring the right properties, manufacturers can make informed decisions, improve quality control and develop more consistent powder-based processes.
A reasonable packaging size in the food industry is important not only to ensure the success of the packaging process, but also to decrease the cost of transporting products. This application note explores how the size of the food powder container is determined by measuring the bulk density and tapped density. In this research, three types of protein powders, including whey protein, soy protein and whey-soy protein mixture, were analyzed by an automatic tapped density tester – The BeDensi T1 Pro. The result demonstrates that the instrument relies entirely on providing food manufacturers with reliable information to determine the optimum packing size and choose a container that is satisfying to the customer.
Tapped density is a significant parameter to explore the compressibility and flowability of pharmaceutical powders, which is useful to promote the approach of QbD and GMPs. Standardization of apparatus and procedure is vital to get meaningful repeatable results. In this application note, standardized tapped density tests of three excipients were performed by the BeDensi T3 Pro with 3 workstations. It is worthy of note that this highly efficient and economic tester is designed to meet the USP and EP standards fully.
Multicolor UV-sensitive resins drive innovation in 3D printing, industrial inks, and high-performance coatings. Manufacturers increasingly introduce nano-sized pigments and additives to enhance product performance. When you reduce particle size to the nanoscale, you vastly improve the resin’s glossiness, brightness, and curing speed. Nanoparticles also ensure uniform colour distribution and smoother layer adhesion during the 3D printing process.
However, formulating these advanced resins presents a significant challenge. Nanoparticles possess high surface energy and naturally tend to clump together. Instead of remaining finely dispersed, they often form larger agglomerates. This agglomeration ruins the uniformity of the liquid, destabilises the mixture, and clogs 3D printer nozzles. Formulators must accurately assess both the actual particle size within the liquid matrix and the overall suspension stability to prevent these issues.
The BeNano 90 Zeta provides the ultimate solution for characterising these complex UV-sensitive mixtures. This advanced instrument utilises Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) to capture the precise hydrodynamic diameter of the particles in the resin. It reveals whether your particles truly remain at the nanoscale or if they have clustered into larger aggregates.
Zeta potential quantifies the surface charge of the nanoparticles, which directly dictates the electrostatic repulsion between them. A high zeta potential confirms strong repulsive forces, ensuring that your particles repel each other and maintain a stable, long-lasting dispersion.
By integrating the BeNano 90 Zeta into your research and development workflow, you gain critical, real-time insights into your resin formulations. This precise data allows you to optimise your chemical recipes, guarantee product uniformity, and deliver stable, premium-grade multicolor UV resins to the market.
Particle size distribution plays a vital role in pesticide performance, influencing particle movement, surface energy, adhesion and biological activity. Manufacturers must control particle size throughout formulation development and production to deliver consistent, stable and effective products. Laser diffraction particle size analysis provides a reliable way to monitor these properties, helping manufacturers optimise formulations and maintain product quality.
Pesticide formulations, including emulsions, suspension concentrates, suspo-emulsions and wettable powders, rely on carefully controlled particle sizes. Particles that are too fine can reduce residual efficacy and increase susceptibility to photodegradation and volatilisation. Conversely, particles that are too coarse can reduce specific surface area and biological activity. Particle size distribution also affects dispersion, suspension stability, surface coverage and the overall effectiveness of the formulation. Manufacturers must therefore establish an appropriate particle size range for each product and maintain it throughout development and production.
Manufacturers can measure particle size using several techniques, including electrical sensing zone analysis, image analysis and light scattering. Laser diffraction offers several advantages, including rapid measurements, a wide measurement range, high sensitivity, good resolution and excellent reproducibility. These characteristics make it particularly useful for comparing formulations, evaluating ingredient concentrations and investigating the effects of production parameters on particle size distribution.
By measuring particle size at different stages of formulation development and production, manufacturers can identify variations, refine processing conditions and improve batch-to-batch consistency. The Chinese agricultural industry standard NY/T 2886-2016 also recommends laser diffraction particle size analysis, supporting its application in pesticide formulation processing.
This article explores how laser diffraction helps manufacturers optimise pesticide formulations, assess the impact of different ingredients and monitor production processes to support consistent product performance and stability.
Particle size distribution plays a key role in determining the performance and quality of gypsum products. In the construction industry, particle size can influence setting time, compressive strength and density, making accurate measurement essential for consistent production. Laser diffraction particle size analysis enables manufacturers to assess gypsum powders before and after grinding, helping them understand how processing affects particle size and overall product performance.
Gypsum has a long history of use, from ancient Roman architecture to modern construction materials. Manufacturers typically process natural gypsum through crushing, grinding and heating to produce plaster, including hemihydrate gypsum. When mixed with water, this material sets into a hard mass, making it valuable for a wide range of building applications.
Several factors influence the properties of gypsum, including water content, filler composition and particle size distribution. Grinding plays a particularly important role because it changes the size of the particles and the surface area available for interaction. Manufacturers need to monitor these changes to achieve the desired product characteristics, maintain consistent quality and optimise processing conditions.
Laser diffraction offers a rapid and repeatable method for measuring particle size distribution across a range of materials. The Bettersizer ST combines laser diffraction technology with a patented DLOS optical system to deliver accurate, reproducible measurements for quality control applications.
This application note uses the Bettersizer ST to analyse two commercially available gypsum powders used in construction. By comparing particle size distributions before and after grinding, the study demonstrates how laser diffraction can identify differences between samples and assess the impact of processing. The results also highlight the instrument’s repeatability, supporting reliable particle size measurement for routine gypsum production and quality control.
Particle size distribution (PSD) plays a crucial role in the performance, efficiency and quality of abrasive materials. From surface grinding and polishing to grit blasting and precision manufacturing, the size of abrasive grains influences material removal rates and the finish of the treated surface. Accurate particle size measurement helps manufacturers maintain consistent product quality, optimise production processes and ensure their abrasive products meet the required specifications.
Abrasives use friction to remove material from a surface. Manufacturers select materials such as silicon carbide, alumina and diamond for their hardness, sharpness and toughness, which help them deliver effective and consistent abrasion. Synthetic abrasives offer additional benefits by providing a reliable supply and greater consistency in material properties.
Particle size distribution directly affects abrasive performance. Finer grains generally remove material more slowly but produce a smoother surface, while coarser grains can increase material removal rates and create a different surface finish. Manufacturers must therefore select and control the appropriate particle size distribution to meet the needs of each application, whether they produce grinding wheels, polishing compounds, sandpaper or specialist abrasives for precision manufacturing.
Variations in particle size between production batches can affect product performance and finished surface quality. Regular measurement allows manufacturers to identify inconsistencies, assess process stability and maintain compliance with relevant industry standards, including applicable ISO specifications.
Laser diffraction provides a rapid, repeatable method for measuring particle size distribution across a wide range of abrasive grain sizes. The Bettersizer ST laser diffraction particle size analyser supports routine quality control by enabling manufacturers to compare samples, monitor production consistency and assess whether abrasive materials meet their target specifications.
This application note examines four batches of black silicon carbide using the Bettersizer ST. By comparing their particle size distributions, the study demonstrates how laser diffraction can help evaluate production stability and support quality inspection against relevant ISO standards. These insights enable abrasive manufacturers to make informed decisions about process control and deliver products with consistent performance.
Particle size distribution plays a vital role in determining the performance, quality and reliability of ceramic products. From traditional pottery to advanced electronic materials and specialist ceramic coatings, manufacturers rely on precise control of powder properties to achieve the desired material characteristics. Accurate particle size measurement helps manufacturers optimise processing conditions, improve product consistency and reduce defects during ceramic production.
Ceramics serve a wide range of industries, including electronics, automotive, construction and advanced materials manufacturing. Modern applications continue to push the boundaries of ceramic technology, creating materials with specialised electrical, mechanical and structural properties.
Several factors influence ceramic performance, including sintering temperature, processing time, particle dispersion and particle size distribution. Powder characteristics can affect how particles pack together and consolidate during manufacturing. Poor control can contribute to structural defects, including microvoids, which may compromise the integrity and performance of the finished component.
In electronic materials, manufacturers can use carefully controlled particle sizes and dispersion to help improve electrical properties. Across the wider ceramics industry, consistent particle size distribution supports reliable processing, helps minimise defects and enables manufacturers to achieve the required product specifications.
Laser diffraction provides a rapid and repeatable method for measuring particle size distribution, helping manufacturers monitor powder characteristics throughout production and quality control. High-resolution measurements allow them to identify differences between samples, assess process consistency and make informed decisions about material preparation.
The Bettersizer ST combines laser diffraction technology with an integrated wet dispersion system in a compact, robust design. This configuration supports efficient sample preparation and repeatable measurements in routine quality control laboratories.
This application note explores the importance of particle size distribution in ceramic powder characterisation and demonstrates the performance of the Bettersizer ST through ceramic powder measurements. The results highlight the analyser’s resolution and repeatability, showing how reliable particle size data can help ceramic manufacturers maintain consistent powder quality and support the production of high-performance ceramic materials.
Over a wide range of industries, different functions require different particle size distributions of ground calcium carbonate powders. That is the reason why particle sizing is a vital step for quality control of ground calcium carbonate. In this investigation, particle size distributions of three different ground calcium carbonates were measured by the laser diffraction method. Typical size values and size distribution curves were compared to evaluate the quality and stability of the sizing process of the three samples.
Meritics Ltd’s particle characterisation solutions offer precise analysis for mining and minerals industries, aiding in optimal resource utilisation. By providing detailed particle size distribution and shape analysis, they enhance process efficiency, quality control, and product development. From ore characterisation to tailings management, Meritics empowers clients with invaluable insights for informed decision-making.
Particle size analysis in mining optimises extraction processes, improves resource utilisation, ensures product quality, and enhances environmental management, facilitating sustainable and efficient operations.
Pore structure analysis in mineral analysis evaluates porosity, permeability, and surface area, crucial for understanding adsorption, chemical reactions, and storage capacity, aiding in resource assessment and processing optimisation.
Zeta potential analysis in mining assesses particle surface charge, vital for understanding aggregation, flocculation, and dispersion in mineral slurries, optimising processing efficiency, and improving product quality.
Particle shape analysis aids in characterising minerals by evaluating morphology, angularity, and surface texture, crucial for understanding flow properties, handling, and processing behaviour in mining operations.
As the UK’s leading independent supplier of limestone-based products, we pride ourselves on delivering high-quality materials for various industries, including construction, agriculture, and manufacturing.
Ensuring the consistent quality of our limestone powder, granules, and aggregates is paramount. We faced challenges in maintaining the desired particle size distribution across our product range, which could impact performance and customer satisfaction.
To address these challenges, we implemented particle size analysis as a fundamental component of our quality control process. Investing in advanced particle size analysis equipment allowed us to accurately measure and monitor the particle size distribution of our limestone products.
Particle size analysis has become an invaluable tool in our quality control arsenal, enabling us to deliver superior limestone products that meet the stringent requirements of our diverse customer base. By maintaining optimal particle size distribution, we ensure the performance, reliability, and consistency of our materials across various applications.
Particle size plays a crucial role in pesticide performance, influencing biological activity, residual effectiveness and product stability. From the active ingredients to the finished formulation, manufacturers must control particle size to achieve consistent quality and reliable results. An unsuitable particle size distribution can affect how a pesticide performs, stores and disperses during application.
For suspension concentrates, particle size distribution provides valuable insight into formulation quality. Particles that are too large can increase settling and affect suspension stability, while variations in particle size can lead to inconsistencies between production batches.
Laser diffraction offers a reliable way to measure particle size distribution and assess these variations. By analysing how particles scatter laser light, manufacturers can determine the range of particle sizes within a sample and compare results against established quality specifications. This helps quality control teams identify potential issues early and maintain consistent product performance.
In this application note, laser diffraction measures the particle size distributions of pesticide suspension concentrate samples. The analysis compares characteristic particle size values and distribution curves to highlight differences between samples and evaluate product quality.
These results also help manufacturers assess their milling processes. By monitoring particle size distribution, teams can identify opportunities to refine milling conditions, improve process efficiency and achieve the required particle size for a specific application. Consistent measurements support informed decisions throughout product development and routine manufacturing.
Accurate particle size analysis helps pesticide manufacturers maintain quality standards, improve batch-to-batch consistency and develop formulations suited to their intended use. Discover how a laser diffraction particle size analyser can support your quality control procedures and help you optimise pesticide production.
Particle characterisation is significant in agriculture as it contributes to understanding and optimising various aspects related to soil, fertilisers, pesticides, and other agricultural inputs. The properties of particles in these materials play a crucial role in determining their effectiveness, impact on crops, and overall agricultural productivity.
From the key active ingredients to the final pesticide product, particle size is known to play a critical role in the residual period, the biological activity, and the stability properties of pesticides.
Laser diffraction analyses soil particle sizes swiftly and accurately, aiding in soil classification, fertility assessment, and understanding soil structure for optimal crop growth and environmental management in agriculture.
To continue to be the world leaders in Animal Health and Micro Nutrition products it is important to us to continually develop new and improved solutions. Our product is slow release, from between 12 hours to as much as 240 days. We rely on particle size analysis data to ensure our product is the optimum size for slow release. For this we turned to Meritics for their guidance. Now, with our Beckman Coulter LS13320XR we are able to test every batch as it is manufactured and our R&D team are now onboard using it to develop new products.
Tapped density is one of two important physical properties of electrode materials and affects the energy density of a Li-ion battery (LIB). The other important physical property is the particle size distribution which provides the appropriate information to optimize the grinding parameters during production. Improving the tapped density can also optimize the high- energy-density during LIB manufacture. Thus, it is necessary for the LIB producer to determine in advance, what is the most optimal and achievable tapped density and then using this parameter as the “gold standard” measure samples from the process during production until they match or come close to the “gold standard” measurement. The easy-to-use BeDensi T Pro series is an ideal tapped density tester because it is an economical device which delivers an exceptional performance with no compromises.
Particle size and particle size distribution play an important role in the quality, consistency and safety of Chinese medicine powders. Manufacturers and researchers must understand these physical properties to support reliable product development and maintain consistent manufacturing standards. Particle size can influence powder handling, dissolution behaviour and the extraction of active constituents, depending on the formulation and intended application.
However, traditional Chinese medicine powders often contain particles with irregular shapes and varying sizes. These characteristics can make accurate measurement challenging, as different measurement techniques may produce different results. Researchers therefore need a reliable method to characterise particle size and assess variations between samples.
Laser diffraction provides a fast and reproducible method for measuring particle size across a broad range. The technique measures the pattern of light scattered by particles as they pass through a laser beam. The analyser then uses this scattering pattern to calculate the particle size distribution.
This approach allows researchers to assess a powder’s particle size characteristics and compare samples using consistent measurement procedures. Laser diffraction also offers practical advantages for routine laboratory analysis, including rapid operation, a wide measuring range and good repeatability when users follow appropriate sampling and measurement protocols.
This research explores the principles and characteristics of laser particle size measurement and examines its application to traditional Chinese medicine powders. By measuring particle size distribution, researchers can investigate differences between powders, support quality assessment and gain a better understanding of their physical properties.
Consistent measurement methods also help laboratories compare results more effectively. Researchers should consider sample preparation, particle dispersion and the properties of each powder when selecting suitable measurement conditions, as these factors can influence the results.
Laser particle size analysis offers researchers a valuable tool for characterising Chinese medicine powders. By providing reliable particle size distribution data, the technique can support quality control, formulation development and a better understanding of powder properties throughout research and manufacturing.
Particle size distribution plays an important role in pharmaceutical quality control, helping researchers understand the physical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). For Domperidone API, accurate particle size measurement supports product development and helps manufacturers assess consistency between batches.
However, Domperidone API presents a particular challenge because its particles can be fragile. The dispersion method must separate particles effectively without causing unwanted changes to their size. Poorly selected dispersion conditions can affect measurement results and make it difficult to determine the powder’s true particle size distribution.
Laser diffraction offers two main approaches to particle dispersion: wet and dry. Wet dispersion suspends particles in a suitable liquid, while dry dispersion uses air to separate particles before measurement. Both methods can produce precise particle size distribution results when users select appropriate conditions and prepare samples carefully.
However, the choice of dispersion method can significantly influence the reliability of the results, particularly when the sample contains fragile particles. Researchers must consider factors such as dispersion pressure, mixing conditions and the potential for particle breakage when establishing a suitable measurement procedure.
In this application note, researchers compare wet and dry dispersion methods for measuring the particle size distribution of Domperidone API. The study evaluates the repeatability, correlation and overall consistency of the results obtained using each technique.
The findings show that wet dispersion provides better repeatability, correlation and consistency with expected particle size behaviour than dry dispersion under the tested conditions. Dry dispersion requires particular care, as researchers need sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the selected settings disperse the fragile particles effectively without altering their size.
The research identifies wet dispersion as the more suitable approach for analysing Domperidone API under the conditions investigated. By selecting appropriate dispersion parameters and following consistent sample preparation procedures, pharmaceutical researchers can improve measurement reliability and support robust quality control.
Discover how laser diffraction particle size analysis can help you select suitable dispersion methods and achieve more reliable results for pharmaceutical powders.
Lactose is one of the most widely used excipients in tablet manufacturing. Its particle size distribution can influence important powder properties, including flowability, mixing behaviour and compression performance. Accurate particle size measurement helps pharmaceutical manufacturers understand the characteristics of their raw materials and maintain consistent production quality.
Laser diffraction provides a reliable method for measuring particle size distribution. However, researchers must select suitable measurement conditions to obtain meaningful results, particularly when they analyse powders with different physical properties.
The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) provides guidance on measuring the particle size of raw materials using laser diffraction. This guidance covers the instrument’s structure and operating principles, wet and dry dispersion methods, and factors that can influence measurement results. The international standard ISO 13320 also outlines requirements and recommendations for particle size analysis using laser diffraction.
Although these guidelines establish a framework for reliable measurement, researchers still need to determine the most appropriate settings for individual materials. For lactose, selecting the correct dry dispersion pressure and evaluating the differences between wet and dry measurements present particular challenges.
Dry dispersion uses compressed air to separate particles before measurement, while wet dispersion suspends particles in a suitable liquid. Both methods can provide useful particle size distribution data, but the selected conditions can affect the results.
Excessive dry dispersion pressure may break fragile particles or alter the measured distribution, while insufficient pressure may leave particles agglomerated. Wet dispersion also requires careful selection of the dispersant and preparation conditions to achieve representative results.
This application note investigates lactose particle size distribution using a systematic approach that follows the principles outlined in the USP and ISO 13320. The research examines dispersion conditions and evaluates the results obtained using wet and dry methods.
By exploring these factors, the study helps researchers establish suitable measurement procedures, improve result consistency and make informed decisions when characterising lactose for pharmaceutical applications. Reliable particle size data supports raw material assessment, formulation development and routine quality control.
Particle size plays an important role in coffee quality, influencing extraction, flavour and consistency. The way manufacturers grind coffee beans affects the size and distribution of the resulting particles, which can change how quickly water extracts soluble compounds during brewing. A consistent grind helps produce a more predictable cup of coffee, while variations in particle size can lead to uneven extraction and differences in flavour.
Understanding these effects helps coffee producers and equipment manufacturers refine grinding processes and deliver products that meet the expectations of consumers.
Different grinding methods produce different particle sizes and distributions. Factors such as grinder design, operating conditions and the characteristics of the coffee beans can all influence the final result. A grind that contains a wide range of particle sizes may produce inconsistent extraction, as fine particles release soluble compounds more quickly than larger particles.
Manufacturers therefore need a reliable way to measure particle size and monitor changes throughout the grinding process. Particle size analysis provides valuable data that helps researchers understand how grinding conditions affect the final coffee product.
Laser diffraction offers a fast and effective method for measuring coffee particle size distribution. The analyser measures the pattern of light scattered by particles as they pass through a laser beam and uses this information to calculate the particle size distribution.
In this application note, researchers investigate how grinding methods, particle size and particle size distribution affect coffee quality. The study explores the principles and measurement techniques that help identify suitable grinding conditions and optimise the resulting particle size distribution.
The research demonstrates how a laser particle size analyser can help manufacturers measure and monitor coffee particle size during grinding. By tracking changes in particle size distribution, producers can assess grind consistency, refine processing conditions and improve product uniformity.
These measurements also support the development and production of coffee grinding equipment. Manufacturers can use particle size data to evaluate grinder performance, compare grinding methods and make informed adjustments to achieve more consistent results.
Discover how laser diffraction particle size analysis can support coffee quality control and help optimise grinding processes from equipment development to finished product production.
The large power demands of finish milling mean that improved monitoring of the grinding efficiency and optimization of the classifier speed yields an in-specification product with significant energy efficiency improvements and ultimately cost savings. This is best achieved by having a laser diffraction which is quick and easy to use with consistent repeatable results being attained no matter which operator is using the system. In addition, by having control standard results for each cement grade maintained inside the computer database, all newly produced cement for all grades can be compared in seconds to the ideal products fineness parameters. The Bettersizer 2600 has all this functionality in its software and provides the rapid laboratory fineness analysis to prove the cement meets the specifications and is thus fit for purpose.
Particle size plays an important role in the quality, consistency and performance of milk powder. It can influence properties such as flowability, dispersibility, reconstitution and mouthfeel, all of which contribute to the consumer’s experience. Manufacturers need to understand these characteristics to produce milk powders that meet product specifications and perform consistently during preparation and use.
Effective milk powder analysis helps manufacturers assess particle size distribution and identify changes that may affect the finished product. By monitoring particle size throughout production, businesses can improve quality control and gain valuable insight into the relationship between processing conditions and product performance.
Laser diffraction provides a fast and reliable method for measuring particle size distribution. The technique analyses the pattern of light scattered by particles as they pass through a laser beam, allowing the analyser to calculate the range and distribution of particle sizes within a sample.
The Bettersizer 2600 helps milk powder manufacturers and equipment developers monitor particle size changes during production. By comparing measurements at different stages, users can investigate how processing conditions influence the final powder and identify opportunities to improve consistency.
Particle size analysis can support investigations into changes that occur during manufacturing, packaging and storage. Factors such as agglomeration, handling and environmental conditions may affect the powder’s physical properties and performance.
By tracking particle size distribution, manufacturers can assess product consistency and investigate potential causes of variation. These measurements also help researchers explore how formulation choices and processing techniques influence important quality characteristics, including dispersibility and reconstitution behaviour.
Reliable milk powder analysis gives manufacturers the data they need to make informed decisions about product formulation and process optimisation. The Bettersizer 2600 supports particle size monitoring, helping users compare samples, evaluate production changes and maintain consistent product quality.
Whether you manufacture milk powder or develop processing equipment, laser diffraction can help you better understand particle characteristics and their relationship with finished product performance. Discover how the Bettersizer 2600 can support your particle size measurement requirements and help you improve quality control throughout production.
This paper looks at laser diffraction technology which when initially conceived only measured particle size by diluting a sample with a suitable diluent and pumped the mix through a sample measuring cell. It explains how the move away from using solvents encouraged the use of measuring sample dry rather than wet and explains what the barriers to dry measurement were and how they were overcome during a period of 25 years.
Pharmaceutical powders are generally considered to be some of the most cohesive a particle scientist will come across and generally are very demanding when using the wet method. In this paper we will demonstrate how a modern dry laser diffraction is able to analyse these cohesive samples and achieve reliable repeatable results with an eco-friendlier method.
Particle size plays a key role in the performance of mineral pigments, influencing colour appearance, opacity and hiding power. These properties depend partly on how pigment particles scatter light, which affects how effectively a coating covers the underlying surface. Variations in particle size can therefore change the visual appearance and performance of paints, coatings and other pigmented products.
Understanding the relationship between mineral pigment particle size and light scattering helps manufacturers select suitable materials and develop formulations that deliver consistent colour and coverage. Accurate particle size measurement also supports quality control by helping manufacturers identify variations between batches.
The size and distribution of mineral pigment particles influence how light interacts with a coating. An appropriate particle size distribution can help maximise light scattering and improve opacity, while an unsuitable distribution may reduce hiding efficiency or affect colour consistency.
However, the ideal particle size depends on the pigment material, its optical properties and the formulation in which it is used. Manufacturers must therefore assess particle size alongside other formulation factors to achieve the desired balance between hiding power, colour and overall coating performance.
The Bettersizer 2600 uses laser diffraction to measure particle size distribution quickly and reliably. The analyser measures the light scattered by particles as they pass through a laser beam and calculates the distribution of particle sizes within the sample.
This data helps manufacturers characterise mineral pigments, compare samples and investigate variations that may influence product performance. By monitoring particle size throughout production, quality control teams can assess consistency and identify opportunities to refine processing conditions.
Reliable mineral pigment analysis helps manufacturers understand how particle size contributes to hiding power and coating quality. The Bettersizer 2600 provides detailed particle size measurements to support formulation development, process optimisation and routine quality control.
Whether you manufacture pigments, paints or coatings, understanding particle size can help you make informed decisions about material selection and product development. Discover how the Bettersizer 2600 can support your particle size analysis requirements and help you achieve consistent pigment performance.
In order to achieve high energy storage, stability and safety performance, it is necessary to strictly control the particle size distributions of lithium battery cathode materials. Therefore, it is important for battery manufacturers to measure the particle size distribution of electrode materials quickly and easily, with the Bettersizer 2600 laser particle size analyser.
Accurate particle size measurement plays an important role in the manufacture of modern ceramic components. The particle size distribution of a ceramic powder can influence packing behaviour, forming characteristics, sintering and the properties of the finished component. Manufacturers must therefore understand their powder characteristics to achieve consistent processing conditions and reliable product quality.
Ceramic powders can also vary in their tendency to form agglomerates, which may affect processing and the uniformity of the final material. Measuring particle size and assessing dispersibility helps manufacturers understand how powders behave and identify opportunities to improve production.
Laser diffraction provides a fast and reliable method for measuring particle size distribution. The technique analyses the pattern of light scattered by particles as they pass through a laser beam, allowing the analyser to calculate the range and distribution of particle sizes within a sample.
The Bettersizer 2600 helps researchers and manufacturers characterise ceramic powder and assess its particle size distribution. With appropriate sample preparation and dispersion conditions, users can investigate particle sizes, identify variations between samples and evaluate how effectively the powder disperses during measurement.
Consistent particle size data helps manufacturers monitor raw materials and maintain greater control over their production processes. Variations in particle size or agglomeration can affect powder handling, compaction and subsequent processing, so reliable measurements support informed decisions during material development and quality control.
This application demonstrates how the Bettersizer 2600 can measure ceramic powder particle size and assess dispersibility, producing results with high repeatability. Repeatable measurements allow users to compare samples confidently and monitor changes in powder characteristics over time.
Effective ceramic powder analysis helps manufacturers understand their raw materials and optimise processing conditions. By combining reliable particle size measurements with suitable dispersion procedures, businesses can improve quality control and support the development of ceramic components with consistent properties.
Discover how the Bettersizer 2600 can help you characterise ceramic powder, evaluate particle size distribution and achieve more reliable results throughout your manufacturing process.
The manufacturing process and final characteristics of chocolate are significantly affected by particle size in many ways, analyse chocolate with the Multisizer 4e. As less production costs and better chocolate quality are desirable, only with the help of high-performance laser diffraction instruments, manufacturers are able to control particle size distribution of intermediates as well as final products in chocolate production in a highly efficient way. In this note, the measurements of chocolates of different types (dark, milk, white) from various countries were successfully performed by the Bettersizer 2600, and the particle size changes were displayed.
The Bettersizer 2600 is the perfect choice to analyse coffee. Particle size and size distributions of ground coffee significantly affect the extraction level and the flavor quality of brewed coffee. Monitoring the particle sizes and size distributions in ground coffees is necessary. In this note, different ground coffees were successfully characterized by the Bettersizer 2600, which is a sophisticated and reliable instrument that can provide particle sizing solutions to the coffee industries.
Particle size plays a critical role in the performance, appearance and stability of pigments. Even relatively small changes in particle size distribution can affect colour, opacity, tinting strength, dispersion and the overall consistency of a finished product.
Coarse particles can influence the visual appearance and performance of pigments, while particle aggregation during storage can reduce dispersion stability. As particles agglomerate, the product may become less consistent and its performance can change over time.
The Bettersizer 2600 provides manufacturers with a reliable solution for monitoring pigment particle size and particle size distribution throughout both production and storage. Measuring particle size allows manufacturers to identify unwanted agglomeration, monitor batch consistency and ensure pigments continue to meet required specifications.
The instrument’s wide measurement range and high resolution enable manufacturers to analyse a broad variety of pigment materials. This provides laboratories and production teams with detailed information about particle size distributions and helps them understand how processing and storage conditions can affect pigment performance.
Regular particle size analysis supports effective quality control throughout the manufacturing process. Manufacturers can compare raw materials with finished products, investigate variations between production batches and establish consistent particle size specifications.
Reliable particle size data can also help identify changes in the production process that may otherwise go unnoticed. By detecting variations early, manufacturers can take corrective action before inconsistencies affect larger quantities of product.
Monitoring particle size during storage is equally important. Changes in particle size distribution can indicate aggregation or instability before these problems become visible in the finished product.
Early detection gives manufacturers an opportunity to investigate potential causes and make adjustments to storage or processing conditions. This can help reduce waste, maintain product quality and ensure pigments perform consistently throughout their intended shelf life.
With its combination of broad measurement capability, high resolution and repeatable analysis, the Bettersizer 2600 is well suited to pigment manufacturers looking to improve quality control and batch-to-batch reproducibility.
By providing accurate particle size data throughout production and storage, the Bettersizer 2600 helps manufacturers maintain consistent pigment performance and deliver reliable, high-quality products to their customers.
This application note compares the particle size and particle shape distribution of different kinds of abrasive by laser scattering method and image method. The results show that the accuracy of particle size measurement results adopted by image method is better and coarser particle resolution is higher, which can effectively monitor the particle size, particle size distribution and ovality, circularity in the abrasive production process to ensure the uniformity of the product, thus improving the performance of the abrasive tool, therefore, the image method is one of the indispensable detection methods in the abrasive industry.
Particle characterisation is of paramount importance in additive manufacturing (AM), commonly known as 3D printing, where precise control over material properties at the micro and nanoscale is crucial for achieving desired outcomes. Understanding the characteristics of particles in raw materials, such as powders or liquid resins, is essential for optimising the AM process and ensuring the quality and performance of the final printed products.
Particle size affects powder flow, surface finish and print consistency in additive manufacturing. Fine particles enhance resolution and quality but may encounter process challenges, coarse particles can lead to poor flow and uneven layer deposition.
Meritics offer a range of particle size analysers from Nanoparticle size analysers capable of analysing down to 10nm to Laser Diffraction Analysers analysing up to 3500 µm.
Powder flow directly impacts the uniformity and consistency of material deposition. Proper flow minimises defects and optimises part quality. Poor powder flow can lead to irregularities compromising the structural integrity and surface finish of printed parts.
Meritics are proud to be the UK distributors of Mercury Scientifics full Powder Flow Analyser range.
Surface area analysis helps understand powder characteristics, affecting powder flow, melting behavior, and part properties in additive manufacturing. It guides material selection and process optimisation for enhanced print quality.
See below the range of Surface Area Analysers Meritics offer
We wanted to test the impact of re-using the ‘waste’ metal powders from our DMLS process. Using the Mercury Scientific Revolution we were able to test, virgin powder, used powder and 50:50. The results showed us what we expected to see that the used powder didn’t flow as well and caked more than the virgin powder. From this we have been able to set standards within our production and can test the flowability using our Revolution before re-use and determine whether a batch needs to be re-processed.
Additive manufacturing (AM) also known as 3D printing, is taking off to produce a wide range of components more efficiently, sustainably, and cost-effectively. In order to achieve success, it is essential to accurately characterize raw materials, such as metal powders and polymer powders. To meet this need, Bettersizer S3 Plus offers characterization solutions. In this app note, we explained the importance of particle size and shape characterization for raw materials and analyze the key parameters using only one instrument.
Particle characterisation is crucial in the field of abrasives, where the particles properties directly influence their performance in various applications. Understanding the size, shape and other characteristics is essential for optimising abrasive materials, developing efficient manufacturing processes, and ensuring the desired performance. Meritics provide solutions for several aspects of the abrasives industry.
The primary method of choice for the characterisation of abrasive materials is particle size analysis by laser diffraction. Meritics offer a wide range of laser diffraction instruments depending on your specific needs.
Automated image analysis provides not only particle size distribution, but also particle shape information. The additional morphology information is important for abrasives because the presence of sharp edges typically enhances performance.
Meritics specialises in materials characterisation, providing advanced solutions for analysing materials’ properties. Their expertise includes precision measurement of particle size, shape, and surface characteristics, crucial for optimising performance and quality. By offering state-of-the-art instruments and tailored analytical services, Meritics ensures reliable, accurate data to enhance abrasives production and application.
Above images: Top, 40X magnification on FlowCam Nano, mixed diamond powder, particle property shown is Diameter ESD. Bottom, 20X magnification on FlowCam 8000 mixed diamond powder particles
This FlowCam was used to analyse their diamond powder to compare the morphological properties of their different lots. Using VisualSpreadsheet software, we could take thousands of FlowCam images like the ones shown here and show valuable morphological data for their lots. FlowCam confirmed what the customer expected: lots that behaved similarly had similar morphological characteristics, and lots that behaved differently had very different morphological characteristics.
Abrasive materials play an important role in a wide range of industrial processes, including grinding, polishing, cutting, surface preparation and finishing. Manufacturers need to maintain consistent abrasive performance to achieve reliable results and minimise variations between batches. Although particle size provides an important measure of abrasive quality, size alone cannot fully describe the properties that influence performance. Particle shape also plays a significant role and requires careful control during production and quality assessment.
Abrasive particles can take a variety of shapes depending on their composition, manufacturing process and subsequent treatment. Two particles may have a similar size but behave very differently if their shapes differ. For example, angular particles may provide different cutting and grinding characteristics from rounded particles. Shape can also influence how particles pack together, interact with surfaces and distribute forces during an abrasive process.
For this reason, manufacturers need to consider both particle size and shape when characterising abrasive materials. Traditional laser diffraction systems provide detailed particle size distributions but do not directly describe individual particle morphology.
The Bettersizer S3 Plus combines laser diffraction with dynamic image analysis to provide a more comprehensive characterisation of abrasive particles. Laser diffraction measures the particle size distribution across a broad size range, while dynamic image analysis captures images of individual particles as they move through the measurement system. The image analysis then evaluates characteristics such as particle size, aspect ratio and particle shape.
By combining these techniques, the Bettersizer S3 Plus provides manufacturers with significantly more information than conventional laser diffraction analysis alone. Users can assess whether changes in particle size correspond with changes in particle morphology and identify variations that a size-only measurement could overlook.
A combined approach to particle characterisation helps manufacturers develop tighter quality control procedures and improve consistency between batches. By monitoring both size and shape, users can gain a clearer understanding of abrasive materials and make better-informed decisions during production and product development. This comprehensive analysis can ultimately support more consistent abrasive performance across a wide range of industrial applications.
Soil and sediment analysis helps scientists understand the origins, composition, and environmental history of materials found across the Earth and beyond. Researchers use soil and sediment data in fields such as hydrology, geology, environmental science, and planetary science. By examining particle size and shape, scientists can identify important differences between materials and gain insight into the processes that formed and transported them.
Analysing particle size and shape presents several challenges because soils and sediments contain particles with many different characteristics. Soil samples often contain a wide range of particle sizes, from very fine particles to much larger grains. The shape of these particles can also vary depending on their geological origin, weathering processes, and method of transportation. These differences make accurate and comprehensive particle analysis essential for understanding soil and sediment behaviour.
The Bettersizer S3 Plus provides an effective solution for analysing complex soil and sediment samples. The instrument measures particle sizes across a broad range from 0.01 μm to 3.5 mm, allowing researchers to analyse both very fine and relatively coarse particles within the same sample. This wide measurement range makes the system suitable for a variety of geological and environmental applications.
This application note examines three different samples: lunar regolith, desert soil, and marine sediment. Each sample formed under different environmental and geological conditions, which influences its particle size and shape. Lunar regolith, for example, forms through processes such as meteorite impacts and mechanical breakdown, while desert sediments experience wind-driven transportation and erosion. Marine sediments develop through processes including erosion, water transport, and deposition.
By comparing these three materials, researchers can explore how different environments influence particle size and shape. The results demonstrate the value of detailed particle analysis for understanding materials from the Moon, terrestrial environments, and the ocean.
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) power a wide range of modern technologies, including smartphones, laptops, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems. Manufacturers value LIBs because they offer long storage life, low self-discharge rates, and no significant memory effect. As demand for portable electronics, electric vehicles, and renewable energy storage continues to increase, manufacturers must develop batteries that can store more energy while maintaining reliable performance.
The anode plays an important role in determining the overall energy density and performance of a lithium-ion battery. Graphite remains one of the most widely used anode materials because of its suitable electrochemical properties, stability, and ability to reversibly store lithium ions. However, the physical characteristics of graphite particles can significantly influence how efficiently the anode stores and transports lithium ions.
Researchers can improve anode performance by carefully controlling the particle size and shape of graphite. Particle size affects factors such as surface area, packing density, electrode porosity, and lithium-ion transport. Smaller particles can provide a larger surface area for electrochemical reactions, while larger particles may contribute to improved packing and electrode density. Therefore, manufacturers must carefully balance particle size to achieve the desired energy density and battery performance.
Particle shape also affects how graphite particles pack within an electrode. Spherical, irregular, or elongated particles can create different packing structures and influence the available space between particles. These differences can affect electrode density, porosity, and ion transport pathways.
Understanding the relationship between graphite particle size, particle shape, and anode energy density can help battery manufacturers optimise electrode design. By accurately characterising these properties, researchers can identify suitable graphite materials and improve the energy storage capacity of lithium-ion batteries. Particle size and shape analysis therefore provides an important tool for developing the next generation of high-energy-density battery technologies.
Accurate measurement of ceramic powders is crucial in the ceramic manufacturing. The Bettersizer S3 Plus has been proven to accurately measure the particle size and size distribution, and effectively monitor the agglomeration existing in ceramic powder materials. Therefore, the Bettersizer S3 Plus is a valuable tool to display both particle size and shape results. With the assistance of the Bettersizer S3 Plus, manufacturers are able to produce high performance ceramic products.
Powder coatings provide a durable and versatile alternative to conventional liquid coatings and serve a wide range of industrial applications. Manufacturers use them on products such as automotive components, appliances, machinery and architectural materials. During production, manufacturers must carefully control several physical properties to achieve consistent coating quality. Among these properties, particle size and shape play an important role in determining how a powder coating behaves during application and curing.
Particle size directly influences the spraying performance and application characteristics of powder coatings. Manufacturers need to maintain a consistent particle size distribution to achieve an even and uniform coating on the target surface. Particles that differ significantly in size can behave differently during spraying, which may affect deposition, coverage and the final appearance of the coating.
Particle size also influences several stages of the manufacturing process, including mixing, transportation, storage and application. By monitoring particle size throughout production, manufacturers can identify changes in the powder and maintain consistent product quality.
Particle shape also contributes to the performance of powder coatings. Particles with different shapes can flow, pack and disperse differently, which can influence how effectively the powder reaches and covers a surface. Combining particle size and shape analysis therefore gives manufacturers a more complete understanding of their powder coating materials.
Laser diffraction analysers offer an efficient method for measuring the particle size distribution of powder coatings. The technique provides rapid analysis across a wide particle size range and requires relatively little operator intervention. These advantages have encouraged many manufacturers to replace or reduce their reliance on conventional particle sizing methods.
Laser diffraction also offers strong repeatability and reproducibility, allowing manufacturers to compare results between different batches and monitor changes during production. Its straightforward operation makes the technique suitable for both research and development and routine quality control.
Accurate particle size and shape analysis helps manufacturers optimise production processes and maintain consistent coating performance. By combining reliable measurement with fast analysis, modern laser diffraction technology provides a valuable tool for the powder coating industry. Manufacturers can use these measurements to identify variations, improve process control and produce coatings that deliver consistent results across a wide range of applications.
Powder coatings provide a durable and versatile alternative to conventional liquid coatings and serve a wide range of industrial applications. Manufacturers use them on products such as automotive components, appliances, machinery and architectural materials. During production, manufacturers must carefully control several physical properties to achieve consistent coating quality. Among these properties, particle size and shape play an important role in determining how a powder coating behaves during application and curing.
Particle size directly influences the spraying performance and application characteristics of powder coatings. Manufacturers need to maintain a consistent particle size distribution to achieve an even and uniform coating on the target surface. Particles that differ significantly in size can behave differently during spraying, which may affect deposition, coverage and the final appearance of the coating.
Particle size also influences several stages of the manufacturing process, including mixing, transportation, storage and application. By monitoring particle size throughout production, manufacturers can identify changes in the powder and maintain consistent product quality.
Particle shape also contributes to the performance of powder coatings. Particles with different shapes can flow, pack and disperse differently, which can influence how effectively the powder reaches and covers a surface. Combining particle size and shape analysis therefore gives manufacturers a more complete understanding of their powder coating materials.
Laser diffraction analysers offer an efficient method for measuring the particle size distribution of powder coatings. The technique provides rapid analysis across a wide particle size range and requires relatively little operator intervention. These advantages have encouraged many manufacturers to replace or reduce their reliance on conventional particle sizing methods.
Laser diffraction also offers strong repeatability and reproducibility, allowing manufacturers to compare results between different batches and monitor changes during production. Its straightforward operation makes the technique suitable for both research and development and routine quality control.
Accurate particle size and shape analysis helps manufacturers optimise production processes and maintain consistent coating performance. By combining reliable measurement with fast analysis, modern laser diffraction technology provides a valuable tool for the powder coating industry. Manufacturers can use these measurements to identify variations, improve process control and produce coatings that deliver consistent results across a wide range of applications.
Soy milk manufacturers rely on homogenisation to improve the taste, appearance and physical stability of the final product. During homogenisation, intense mechanical shearing breaks down large fat globules and protein clusters into smaller particles. This process creates a more uniform liquid and helps prevent visible separation during storage. However, manufacturers need effective particle analysis to monitor the process and maintain consistent product quality.
Particle size strongly influences the stability and sensory properties of soy milk. Large fat globules can rise to the surface and create an undesirable floating layer, while larger protein aggregates can settle over time. Smaller and more uniformly distributed particles promote a stable suspension and contribute to a smoother mouthfeel.
Manufacturers therefore need to monitor particle size throughout the production process. Particle size analysis helps them evaluate the effectiveness of homogenisation and identify changes that could affect product stability. A well-controlled particle size distribution (PSD) also supports consistent production from batch to batch.
Bettersize provides a comprehensive solution by combining the Bettersizer S3 Plus with the BeVision S1. The Bettersizer S3 Plus applies laser diffraction to measure the particle size distribution of soy milk efficiently across a broad range. This information enables manufacturers to assess how effectively homogenisation reduces larger particles and creates a more uniform dispersion.
The BeVision S1 complements particle size measurement with dynamic image analysis. It captures individual particles and provides detailed information about their size and shape. This additional information helps manufacturers identify particle populations that conventional bulk measurements may not fully describe.
By combining particle size and particle shape analysis, manufacturers can gain a more complete understanding of soy milk structure and stability. The Bettersizer S3 Plus and BeVision S1 provide complementary analytical information that supports homogenisation optimisation and quality control.
Through regular particle analysis, manufacturers can maintain a homogeneous liquid, reduce fat floating and minimise protein settling. This approach ultimately helps producers deliver soy milk with consistent appearance, texture, stability and overall quality.
The particle size distribution is a crucial parameter in many applications that involve powders or dispersions. These include construction materials like cement and sand, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, colored pigments, fertilizers, emulsions, and more. As the range of applications expands, so do the requirements for measuring methods in terms of size range, measurement time, and reproducibility.
Measuring particles close to the range limits and simultaneously detecting particle sizes of both small (nanometer range) and large particles (lower millimeter range) for polymodally or broadly distributed samples is particularly challenging. However, modern laser diffraction particle size analyzers such as the Bettersizer S3 Plus overcome these challenges through innovative optical system design that detects backscattered light of very small particles and captures large particles with an integrated high-speed CCD camera or a combination of laser diffraction method and image analysis method.
Laser diffraction method of particle sizing involves the interaction of laser (monochromatic and coherent light) with particles that need to be measured in terms of their size. The diffraction of light waves by the particles follows a distinct pattern depending on their size: larger particles scatter more light in the forward direction. For particles smaller than 100 nm, the scattering intensity is almost the same in all directions.
The scattering intensity is determined by stationary detectors depending on the angle. State-of-the-art laser diffraction systems such as the Bettersizer S3 Plus laser diffraction particle size analyzer guarantee the determination of scattering intensities in a continuous angular range of 0.02 – 165°, i. e. in the forward, side, and backward direction. This is achieved by means of the unique Dual Lens and Oblique Incidence (DLOI) optical system: Fourier lenses (collective lens) are positioned between the laser and particles as well as between particles and detectors. The particles will interact with the light within a parallel laser beam. This offers the advantage that the scattered light can also be detected at very large angles (in the backward scattering direction) and thus even very small particles can be detected and measured precisely. Thanks to DLOI technology, the problems of conventional measurement setups can also be avoided. Therefore, neither the suitable lenses for the corresponding particle size measurement range have to be selected prior to the measurement (in comparison to the Fourier optics), nor do measurement inaccuracies result from different particle-to-detector distances if not all particles lie in one plane (in comparison to the inverse Fourier optics).
To calculate the particle size distribution from the measured scattering spectra, the theory of either FRAUNHOFER or MIE is applied. The FRAUNHOFER theory is based on the hypothesis of opaque and spherical particles: the scattered pattern corresponds to a thin opaque two-dimensional plate – diffraction only occurs at the edges. Therefore no additional optical input constants of the material are necessary for this calculation. In contrast, the MIE theory uses the hypothesis of virtually translucent and spherical particles, meaning that light permeates the matter and is scattered elastically at the atoms of the particle. The knowledge of the complex refractive index of the particles and the liquid as well is necessary. This theory is applicable to particles of all sizes.
The following figure shows an example of a volume-weighted particle size distribution of a calcium carbonate powder – measured with a Bettersizer S3 Plus. The cumulative throughput curve (blue line) and the resulting histogram (black bar) can be seen.
The term “image analysis” is describing the mechanism: the image analyzer will capture an image of a 3-D particle first, then do the analysis based on the 2-D particle projection image. Depending on the movement state of particles during the measurement, the image analysis method is divided into 2 kinds: one is the dynamic image analysis method (DIA), and another is the static image analysis method (SIA).
Today, particle size alone may not be sufficient to get qualified products out the door. Many industries are turning to particle size and shape analysis. This is where the image analysis method comes in. The necessity for size and shape analysis of every single particle, combined with ever-increasing PC processing power, ensures that automated imaging methods are becoming increasingly more relevant to a market which is taking advantages of non-spherical particles.
Automated imaging methods for the determination of the particle size distribution of a material offers a fundamental advantage over alternative methods such as static light scattering, sedimentation or sieving: Each particle is photographed and thus analyzed individually! In addition, the individual photography of the particles gives the opportunity to make statistical calculations of not only the particle size but also the particle shape, this results in several important advantages for the determination of the particle size (shape) distribution:
The determination of the particle size and shape by image analysis method includes 4 basic steps:
1. Image taking
The image taking process is the base of the image analysis method. Special digital cameras are ultilized to ensure a clear vision contains sharp images of particles. If necessary, the camera can be in combination to a microscope.
2. Image processing and particles detection
Appropriate software processes captured pictures: signal noise, isolated pixels and edging particles are eliminated, brightness is adjusted to strengthen the contrast between the particle and the background, etc.
Particles are then separated from the background. Depending on the application, special requirements will be employed to filter out part of particles, such as agglomerates, bubbles, or reflecting metal powders.
3. Particle size and shape calculation
Size and shape parameters of every single particle will be calculated with the software.
4. Statistical calculations and classification
The particles are arranged in classes (e.g. size equivalent classes) on the basis of their attributed features (size and shape parameters).
Cell analysis of serum using cell size analysers and zeta potential analysers provides detailed information on cell population distribution and surface charge. This technology aids in understanding cell interactions, stability, and behaviour in serum, crucial for applications in diagnostics, therapeutics, and research in immunology and cellular biology.
Dynamic light scattering (DLS) technology analyses cell size by measuring the scattering of laser light caused by particle movement, providing precise data on cell size distribution and aggregation.
Zeta potential analysis of serum uses electrophoretic light scattering to measure the electrical charge on cell surfaces, providing insights into cell stability, interactions, and aggregation tendencies in biological samples.
Analysing serum for research involves measuring biomarkers to uncover insights into physiological processes, disease mechanisms, and potential therapeutic targets. By examining various components, such as proteins, hormones, and metabolites, researchers can identify correlations, track changes over time, and validate hypotheses. This detailed analysis enhances understanding of health and disease, contributing to the development of new treatments and advancing scientific knowledge in biomedical research.
A research laboratory based in the UK aimed to investigate the thermal-sensitive rheological behaviour of bovine serum albumin (BSA) solutions. Understanding the viscoelastic properties of BSA at various temperatures is crucial for applications in biotechnology and pharmaceutical formulations. The laboratory employed Dynamic Light Scattering Microrheology (DLS Microrheology) using the BeNano 180 Zeta to achieve this goal.
The UK research laboratory successfully utilised Dynamic Light Scattering Microrheology with the BeNano 180 Zeta to measure the thermal-sensitive rheological behavior of BSA solutions. Highlighting the instrument’s capability to provide detailed and precise measurements, significantly advancing the understanding of BSA’s viscoelastic properties under varying temperatures. The insights gained are invaluable for optimising applications in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.
Cell characterization in virology involves analyzing cell morphology, growth, viability, and susceptibility to viral infections. Techniques like nanoparticle tracking, interferometry, and zeta potential provide critical insights into host-virus interactions, aiding in the development of antiviral drugs, vaccines, and understanding viral pathogenesis and replication mechanisms.
Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) accurately sizes and counts viruses in solution by tracking their Brownian motion, providing crucial data for virology research, vaccine development, and understanding viral behaviour in biological fluids.
Nanoparticle size and concentration analysis of viruses assesses their dimensions and quantity in solutions, essential for virology, vaccine development, and studying viral dynamics in biological environments.
A British-owned R&D laboratory aimed to optimise the production process of lentiviral vectors, critical for gene therapy and vaccine development. They integrated the Myriade Videodrop, a microfluidic-based platform for nanoparticle analysis, to enhance efficiency and quality control.The platform utilises microfluidic technology to measure size and concentration based on light scattering.
The lab achieved significant success using the Myriade Videodrop for optimising lentiviral vector production. They proved the platform’s capability to enhance efficiency, ensuring quality, and accelerate advancements in gene therapy and vaccine development.
The integration of advanced nanoparticle analysis technologies like Videodrop is pivotal for driving breakthroughs in biopharmaceutical research and therapeutic applications.
Gene and cell therapy offers exciting opportunities to treat complex diseases by modifying genetic material or using living cells to repair, replace or restore biological functions. However, developing effective treatments requires a thorough understanding of the cells, particles and biomolecules involved.
Accurate particle characterisation helps researchers assess product quality, monitor critical properties and improve consistency throughout development. Reliable measurements also support quality control and help researchers generate the evidence needed to assess safety and therapeutic performance.
Cell size can provide valuable information about cell health, growth and response to treatment. Changes in size may indicate cellular stress, activation or other biological responses that could influence therapeutic performance.
Measuring cell size helps researchers monitor cell populations and identify variations that may affect product quality. Consistent measurements also support process development, helping scientists understand how changes in culture conditions or treatment protocols influence cellular characteristics.
Accurate cell counting is essential when preparing treatments that rely on delivering a specific number of viable cells. Inconsistent cell concentrations can affect dosing, experimental reproducibility and the interpretation of results.
Reliable counting methods help researchers quantify cell populations, monitor changes during production and maintain consistency between batches. Particle concentration measurements can also support the assessment of extracellular vesicles, which are increasingly investigated for their potential role in therapeutic delivery and cellular communication.
Understanding how biological molecules interact is another important part of therapeutic development. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) enables researchers to investigate molecular binding in real time, providing information about binding affinity, association and dissociation rates.
These insights help scientists evaluate interactions between therapeutic molecules and their targets, supporting the development and optimisation of potential treatments.
From measuring cell size and concentration to investigating molecular interactions, particle characterisation provides valuable data throughout research and development. By selecting appropriate analytical techniques, researchers can better understand their samples, improve reproducibility and make more informed decisions when developing the next generation of advanced therapies.
A researcher investigating extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes, needed a reliable way to measure particle size and concentration while distinguishing labelled vesicles from other particles in the sample. This distinction is crucial when studying EVs for diagnostic applications, cell-to-cell communication and potential therapeutic delivery.
By combining multi-laser NTA with fluorescence measurements, the HORIBA ViewSizer 3000 could characterise the overall particle population and identify the fluorescently labelled vesicles separately. This provided a more detailed understanding of particle concentration and labelling efficiency.
The ViewSizer 3000 provided reliable, complementary measurements of particle size, concentration and fluorescent labelling, helping researchers better understand EV populations and assess labelling efficiency.
Particle characterisation is vital to ensure product quality, efficacy, and safety. It enables precise control over particle size, shape, and distribution, influencing drug performance, stability, and bioavailability. Comprehensive characterisation supports formulation optimisation, process validation, and regulatory compliance, ensuring patient well-being.
Meritics offers comprehensive particle shape and light obscuration analysis solutions tailored for pharmaceutical manufacturing, ensuring precise characterisation of particles crucial for product quality and regulatory compliance.
Meritics provides advanced texture analysis solutions for pharmaceutical manufacturing, ensuring precise characterisation of drug formulations crucial for optimizing product performance and ensuring patient safety and efficacy.
Particle size analysis in vaccine manufacturing and development ensures the quality, safety, and efficacy of vaccines by characterising particles, optimising formulations, and ensuring regulatory compliance for global public health.
As a leading pharmaceutical company dedicated to delivering high-quality medications, ensuring the purity and stability of our active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) is of utmost importance to us.
We faced challenges in detecting and quantifying aggregation and agglomeration phenomena in our APIs, which could compromise their efficacy, safety, and stability.
To tackle these challenges, we sought guidance from specialists at Meritics, who suggested and provided a demonstration of the FlowCam LO. This instrument combines flow imaging microscopy and light obscuration analysis, enhancing our quality control procedures.
Particle content is a critical quality attribute for many biologics that must be monitored to meet regulatory requirements like USP <788> and mitigate product safety risks.
Flow imaging microscopy is an established technique recommended by USP <1788> for subvisible and submicron particle analysis, revealing particle count, size, and shape, indicating their type and source.
Monitor the aggregation of adjuvants, nano-drug delivery systems, and other small particles to larger, potentially concerning, submicron and subvisible particles.
Apply flow imaging microscopy techniques to therapeutics including aggregates of drug delivery systems like liposomes, exosomes, and gold nanoparticles, and vaccine components like virus-like particles and adjuvants.
FlowCam is ideally suited to analyze samples containing larger particles like CHO cells, cell cultures and associated particles like Dynabeads™ and Tentagel™ beads, and hydrogel spheres.
Obtain size and morphology information of these particles that is related to product quality issues such as cell viability, misshapen drug delivery vehicles, and the form of any aggregates present.
Discover a high-throughput flow imaging microscopy platform for characterizing API aggregates and other particulates in your protein, monoclonal antibody, or antibody-drug conjugate formulation.
Monitor your formulation for protein aggregates, intrinsic particles including silicone oil, degraded polysorbate, and glass flakes, as well as extrinsic contaminants.
FlowCam provides quality assurance for your parenteral drug product to give you peace of mind about the stability and safety of your formulation.
Capture high-resolution images for the identification of particle type, allowing you to detect and mitigate undesirable and potentially harmful particle formation at the source.
Improve formulation design based on knowledge obtained by using FlowCam in accelerated protein stability studies.
Effective particle analysis techniques are essential to quality control programs across a wide range of manufacturing industries.
FlowCam offers a complete solution for characterising particles, ensuring end-product quality and conformity with industry regulations.
Perform compliance testing in accordance with ISO and ASTM standards
Enhance quality assurance programs by monitoring particle uniformity and consistency throughout the production process
Determine filter performance by comparing image and concentration data pre and post-separation
Evaluate quality of raw materials as inputs into manufacturing processes
FlowCam is a comprehensive dynamic imaging analysis platform that provides an efficient method to confirm data obtained from other particle analysis techniques.
With real digital images, you can verify the size, shape, and identity of your particles.
Particle characterisation is fundamental in the field of advanced materials, where precise control and understanding of properties contribute to the development of innovative materials. Meritics has a number of particle characterisation solutions for the industry.
Flow imaging microscopy enables real-time visualisation and analysis of particle morphology, size distribution, and aggregation dynamics, facilitating precise control over material synthesis, formulation, and performance optimisation.
Particle size analysis in advanced materials ensures precise control over particle dimensions, aiding in tailoring material properties for specific applications such as nanotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and composite materials, enhancing performance and functionality.
Pore size analysis in advanced materials enables characterisation of pore structure and distribution, crucial for optimizing material properties like permeability, adsorption capacity, and mechanical strength in diverse applications.
Powder flow analysis assesses flow properties crucial for manufacturing processes like compaction, granulation, and coating, ensuring consistency and efficiency in producing high-performance materials.
Meritics have a range of surface area analysers. Used in advanced materials to quantify available surface area, vital for optimising adsorption, catalysis, and reactivity in applications such as catalysts, batteries, and gas storage materials, enhancing performance and efficiency.
We use the BeDensi T Pro Series. This improved battery capacity, cycle life, and overall efficiency. As a result, the batteries exhibited enhanced energy density and prolonged lifespan, meeting stringent performance requirements, therefore advancing sustainability and technological innovation.
Particle characterisation techniques commonly used in environmental sciences include laser diffraction for particle size analysis, flow imaging microscopy for soil sciences and pollen viability, surface area analysis analyse soil and dynamic light scattering for measuring particle size distribution in various samples such as soil, water, and air pollutants.
Laser diffraction particle size analysis in soils accurately measures particle size distribution, providing essential data for soil classification, engineering evaluations, and environmental assessments in various soil-related applications.
Flow imaging microscopy can be used to assess pollen morphology, size, and integrity, enabling precise determination of pollen viability and fertility, vital for agricultural breeding and plant reproduction studies.
Zeta potential analysis in soils assesses the surface charge of soil particles, informing on soil aggregation, nutrient adsorption, and soil-water interactions crucial for soil fertility and management strategies.
Surface area measurements quantify the available surface area of particles, aiding in understanding adsorption phenomena, pollutant interactions, and remediation strategies in various matrices.
Our client is dedicated to studying nanoparticle behaviour in natural ecosystems. Understanding the interactions between nanoparticles and environmental components is crucial for assessing potential risks and developing effective mitigation strategies.
They faced challenges in accurately characterising the surface charge of nanoparticles, which is essential for predicting their fate, transport, and ecological impacts. Conventional techniques lacked the sensitivity and resolution needed to study nanoparticles in complex environmental matrices.
The BeNano 180 Zeta Pro played a pivotal role in advancing their research efforts by providing precise and sensitive measurements of nanoparticle zeta potential. By better understanding nanoparticle interactions in natural ecosystems, they aim to promote environmental sustainability and protect ecological integrity.
Flow Imaging Microscopy offers a new perspective on environmental particle analysis. With high-quality digital images, FlowCam provides insights into soil sciences, pollen viability studies, atmospheric particle studies, microplastics analysis, stormwater runoff, and environmental monitoring.
Additional applications include wastewater processing, aerosol analysis, sediment studies, and advanced material science analysis.
Ensure successful crop production and profitability by monitoring the health and vitality of inputs to your agricultural system and analyzing data to improve the quality of feed, soil drainage, crop yield, and fertilizer potency.
FlowCam provides real-time results and analyses – minimizing the resources you need to meet regulatory, ecological, economic, and social requirements of sustainable farm management.
Ingredients are critical in all facets of the food and beverage industry. Flow imaging microscopy allows you to isolate different particle types from a heterogeneous mixture in order to ensure quality and detect process flaws.
An efficient, high-throughput analysis tool, FlowCam can detect variations in particle size, morphology, and texture allowing for streamlined quality control.
Particle size distribution and shape impacts not only taste and texture but flavor, quality, and production efficiency.
FlowCam has been used in a variety of food and beverage applications for the following advantages:
