Acorn AreaTM – Particle Analyzer

The Acorn Area is a revolutionary particle analyzer designed to evaluate wetted particle surfaces dispersed in any type of liquid. This new patented technique is based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and offers many advantages in comparison with conventional first generation particle analyzers. Wetted surface area measurements with the Acorn Area are simple and easy. Dispersions can be measured non-invasively, without dilution. A 0.5 ml aliquot of the dispersion is placed in a sample tube and then inserted into the sample chamber. The test sequence is initiated with a key stroke, and, within minutes, the proprietary AreaQuant^TM software algorithm reports the total measured surface area. In a particulate dispersion the smallest particles, or fines, contribute the most to the total surface area of the dispersion. In contrast, fines are more difficult to detect in conventional size measurements. Consequently surface area measurements are very sensitive to the presence of fines in a concentrated dispersion. The Acorn Area Advantage:

Small, lightweight and portable, yet robust
No moving parts and no adjustments are necessary
Designed for use in the R&D or the QC laboratory
Compatible with XP, Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8

Applications: The Acorn Area works with a wide range of materials in virtually any liquid including:

Ceramics & Refractories
Pharmaceuticals
Cosmetics & Personal Care
Household goods
Catalysts
Pigments and Fillers
Inorganic/Organic Powders
Emulsions
Porous materials

Click here to download the Acorn Area Brochure Principle of Operation: The liquid in contact with the surface of a particle behaves differently from that of the bulk, or “free” liquid. This effect can be detected by NMR relaxation measurements. The AreaQuant^TM software differentiates that behavior and quantifies the surface area from these measurements. Size measurements of fine particles using laser diffraction or dynamic light scattering assume a spherical particle shape, which can lead to erroneous values of particle surface area derived from size measurements. NMR measurements assume nothing about the shape of a particle, making it an ideal tool to determine important properties of dispersion formulations such as surfactant loading. With the Acorn Area, measurements of wetted surfaces is minimal – no sample preparation and no clean-up means significantly increased sample throughput. Important processes such as milling or grinding can be monitored in virtually real time. Specifications: Interface: PC via USB Operating System: Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 Voltage: 100-240 VAC 50/60 Hz Power Consumption: 120 Watts LxWxH: 270x360x140 mm Wt.: 7 kg