Ultrasonic spectrometers for non destructive detection of the gelation point and monitoring of pre-gelation, gelation and post-gelation, chemical and micro-structural processes
Ultrasonic Scientific introduces a new application note detailing the characterisation of gels and analysis of gelation processes. Spectrometers from Ultrasonic Scientific provide the capability for non-destructive detection of the gelation point and monitoring of pre-gelation, gelation and post-gelation, chemical and micro-structural processes.
Ideal for use in the pharmaceuticals, dairy and food ingredients industries, this technique can replace traditional methods specially in the analysis of weak gels, which are often affected or destroyed with other methods.
The HR-US technology is non-destructive, extremely sensitive, requires no markers and can be used in non-transparent samples, concentrates and semisolid materials.
The technique uses ultrasonic waves, which propagate through most materials including opaque samples and allow direct probing of intermolecular forces.
The application note describes how high-resolution ultrasonic spectroscopy allows analysis of pre-gelation processes, detection of the gelation point, gelation interval and postgelation reactions as well as the analysis of the transformations in the structure of the polymers (polymer gels) and particles (particle gels), and characterises the micro-arrangement of the gel network.
The application note includes three applications of gelation processes - ultrasonic monitoring of the melting of a carrageenan gel, ultrasonic monitoring of the acid gelation of caseins, and ultrasonic monitoring of the acid gelation of whey proteins.
The HR-US series of instruments by Ultrasonic Scientific are a powerful solution to the analysis of gelation processes.
Small samplers of typically 1ml are used (though lower and higher volumes of sample compartments are available) under controlled temperature parameters (down to 0.01C) and with stirring, if required.
The HR-US series of instruments offer unprecedented tools for research and industry in developing new gel-based products and optimisation of existing technologies.
They provide high-throughput rates for small sample volumes, with no sample preparation or time-consuming set-up.
The technical note is available free of charge as a two page document or pdf file from the Ultrasonic Scientific website.
