CI Electronics has revealed how the University of Zaragoza is using four of its microbalances, purchased in kit form, to study chemical reactions at high temperatures.
The microbalances are being used by Prof Antonio Monzon's laboratory in the university's department of chemical and environmental technologies to study chemical reactions at temperatures typically in the range of 600-800C.
The laboratory is investigating the performance of catalytic substrates to produce carbon nanotubes, feeding the substrate with, say, hydrogen or nitrogen mixed with a carbon source as acetylene, methane or another low-weight hydrocarbon.
By measuring the sample weight and recording the reaction time, the researchers can characterise the catalytic activity in terms of carbon-nanotube growth rate.
Monzon said he selected the microbalance kits from CI Electronics because of their affordable price and the versatile modular design, which enables the lab to build the microbalance head into its own instrument designs.
This modularity means, for example, that the lab can use the microbalances at higher temperatures than we could with alternative instruments.
Despite the extreme operating conditions, the microbalances have proven to be very robust and reliable.
