Micromeritics and its Particulate Systems brand displayed a variety of instruments across two stands at Pittcon 2014.
Micromeritics’ 3Flex Surface Characterisation Analyser is a fully automated, three-station instrument capable of high-performance physisorption, mesopore, micropore, and chemisorption analyses with superior accuracy, resolution, and data reduction. Each analysis station is upgradeable from mesopore to micropore with the option of designating one station for chemisorption analyses.
All analysis stations can be configured for krypton analysis of low surface area materials. Vapour sorption capability is standard. A single 3Flex with its minimal footprint and three configurable analysis stations eliminates costly investment in multiple instruments and additional bench space.
The 3Flex is suited for the characterisation of MOFs, zeolites, activated carbons, adsorbents, and a wide variety of porous and non-porous materials.
With the chemisorption option, the 3Flex can be configured to perform chemical adsorption analyses that enable the researcher to obtain valuable information about the active properties of catalysts, catalyst support, and a variety of other materials.
The 3Flex includes Micromeritics’ MicroActive for 3Flex software which gives the user the ability to interactively evaluate isotherm data and reduces the time required to obtain surface area and porosity results.
The TriStar II Plus Surface Area and Porosity System is a fully automated, three-port gas adsorption analyser intended for laboratories that require the combination of expanded throughput and high quality data.
Suited for use in both quality control and research environments, the analysis ports operate simultaneously and independently of one another. Capable of collecting up to 1000 data points, fine details of the isotherm can be observed and recorded providing high resolution and revealing pore structure details.
The ASAP 2460 Surface Area and Porosimetry Analyser incorporates an expandable system designed for upgradeable high-performance and high sample throughput.
The surface characterisation instrument can be configured as a two-, four-, or six-station bench top system depending on the user’s throughput needs. The base ASAP 2460 is a two-port master control unit.
For additional throughput, two-port auxiliary units can be connected to the master unit expanding the system to either a four-port or six-port analyser. The instrument also includes enhanced software capabilities, data reduction features, and instrument monitoring.
Micromeritics also showcased the Saturn DigiSizer II High-Definition Digital Particle Size Analyser. Superior resolution allows the user to characterise outlier particles not visible to other particle sizing systems.
With unique design and data reduction features, the instrument measures particle size in a range of 40 nanometers to 2.5 millimeters with an extremely high level of resolution, repeatability, and sensitivity from unit to unit and site to site.
The AccuPyc II 1340 Gas Displacement Pycnometry System is a fast, fully automatic analysis system that provides high-speed, high-precision volume measurements and density calculations.
It determines absolute density of powders, solids, and slurries having volumes from 0.01 to 2000 cm3 with superior accuracy.
For those who require high throughput, an integrated control and analysis module can operate up to five additional external analysis modules. Temperature control and custom-sized modules can be configured to suit unique applications.
Particulate Systems offers instruments that are complementary to Micromeritics’ core product line. Materials characterisation analyses include nano particle size, zeta potential, particle shape, high-pressure adsorption isotherms, dynamic vapor sorption, activity and selectivity of catalysts, surface energy, segregation testing, powder strength, and determination of low levels of iron content in a variety of materials.
The NanoPlus Nano Particle Size and Zeta Potential Analyser utilises photon correlation spectroscopy and electrophoretic light scattering techniques.
Compact and easy to use with an extended analysis range, intuitive software, and multiple sample cells to fit the user’s application, the instrument can measure particle size in the range of 0.1 nm to 12.30 ?m with sample suspension concentrations from 0.00001% to 40% and zeta potential of sample suspensions in the -500 mV to 500 mV range with concentrations from 0.001% to 40%.
The NanoPlus is available in three model configurations: the NanoPlus-1 – nano particle sizing instrument; NanoPlus-2 – zeta potential instrument; and NanoPlus-3 – combination nano particle sizing and zeta potential instrument.
Particle Insight Dynamic Image Analyser is designed for applications where the shape, not just the diameter, of raw materials is critical to the performance of the final product.
The Particle Insight offers up to 28 different shape parameters analysed in real-time in either aqueous or organic solvent suspensions. The system measures particles in a range from 3 µm up to 300 µm in its standard configuration.
The fully automated SSSpinTester Low-Volume, Bulk-Strength Analyser uses the science of centrifugal force to measure the unconfined yield strength of fine powders requiring a very small amount of sample (0.5 cc).
The instrument provides repeatable and consistent data by first consolidating the material using centrifugal force to compress the sample inside the sample holder. After the initial compaction step, it then completes the analysis routine using the same centrifugal force to determine the yield strength of the material.
The SSSpinTester is capable of fast results, collecting a single data point in as little as three minutes and a five-point flow function in as little as 15 minutes.
Particulate Systems also showcased the DVS-Intrinsic. Dynamic vapour sorption, commonly known as DVS, is based on the gravimetric determination of the quantity of vapour adsorbed or desorbed from the sample material.
By varying the vapour concentration surrounding a sample and measuring the change in mass it produces, the rate and quantity of solvent adsorbed by a sample can be measured.
Surface Measurement Systems, represented by Particulate Systems, offers a wide range of Dynamic Vapor Sorption instruments that utilise dynamic gas flow and the gravimetric technique to produce high-resolution adsorption and desorption isotherms of water and organic vapours on solid materials.
Humidity can adversely affect a range of materials to include food, pharmaceuticals, fuel cells, packaging, high energy materials, polymers, building materials, filtration materials, and personal care products.
Knowing how water vapour interacts with these materials can yield vital information for the proper formulation, processing, and storage of these materials. The DVS-Intrinsic is an entry level, water vapor only instrument, operating in the 20 to 40 °C temperature range.
Micromeritics Analytical Services and Micromeritics Pharmaceutical Services both provide contract sample analyses and consulting services.
Featuring products manufactured by Micromeritics, as well as services outside the Micromeritics current product line.
Materials characterisation services include particle size distribution, particle shape, particle count, nano particle size, surface area, micropore analysis, pore volume distribution, total pore volume, density, surface energy, dynamic water vapour sorption, TGA, DSC, active surface area, percent metal dispersion, crystallite size, high-pressure adsorption isotherms, magnetic content, zeta potential, isosteric heat of adsorption, microscopy, method development, method validation, and consulting services.
MPS enables Micromeritics to expand its analytical service capabilities and meet the growing demand for contract services from the pharmaceutical industry.
MPS utilises a DEA-licensed, FDA-registered, cGMP/GLP-compliant contract analytical laboratory and provides a comprehensive service program to provide additional services that include API characterisation, excipient screening, powder flow properties, batch variability, identification of critical quality attributes, and QbD/PAT implementation.
