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PARTICLE ANALYSIS SYSTEMS |
Acorn Area
The Acorn Area™ is a revolutionary instrument designed to measure the surface area of nanoparticles dispersed in a liquid. This patented nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) based method offers many advantages in comparison with conventional surface area techniques. Measurements take about 5 minutes from start to finish. No sample preparation— such as drying or degassing— is required. High concentration dispersions are measured directly, without dilution. Acorn Area measurements are orders of magnitude faster than any other surface area measuring technique.
The resulting data are analyzed to determine the relative proportion of bound and free liquid and the corresponding particle surface area. There are no assumptions about the sample particle size (distribution) or shape used to determine surface area; the wetted area is measured directly. The user inputs the particle dispersion weight concentration, the liquid and particle density. The particle-to-liquid volume ratio (used in the calculation of surface area) is automatically determined.
the amplitude and duration of the pulses, the number of repetitions, etc. without operator intervention. This ensures measurements are made with the highest resolution and repeatability without a great deal of operator training. To simplify method development, the software also features an automatic test parameter file configuration based on an estimated T1 or T2 time input by the user. Once a set of parameters are defined, operation of the Acorn Area is simple: just enter the operator name and sample information – the software does the rest!Acorn Drop
The Acorn Drop uses patented nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology to measure emulsion or foam droplet size and distribution, entirely without dilution. Simply place 0.5 ml of sample in a 5mm tube, insert it into the Drop and press START. The results are available a few minutes later. In contrast, conventional particle sizing techniques such as laser diffraction require extensive dilution of the emulsion in order to measure droplet size.
The measuring range of the Acorn Drop is extremely broad – from 10nm to 100 microns. High concentration, highly viscous, opaque and light-sensitive emulsions can be measured directly as well as nano or or micro emulsions (that cannot be diluted due to their composition dependence). Our approach is nondestructive – the same sample emulsion can be studied minutes, days or weeks later, facilitating analysis of emulsion stability.
Acorn Flow
| Acorn Area is a particle surface area analyzer that can be operated with a desktop, laptop or PDA. This lightweight & portable droplet size analyzer is designed for use in the R&D or the QC laboratory and to measure the surface area of particles or droplets dispersed in any type of liquid.
The Acorn Flow similar to the Acorn Area, but enables the user to circulate the sample from an external beaker to the cassette where the sample is measured and then returned to the sample beaker via peristaltic pump. The sample temperature may be regulated using the Peltier regulated Controller shown in the picture below. |
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An external stirrer may be used to keep particles in suspension while they reside inside the beaker waiting to be measured. The Acorn Flow enables the user to measure the influence of additives such as surfactants and dispersants on the particle-liquid interface of nanoparticle dispersions. Surfactants are among the most expensive components in a nanoparticulate dispersion, and optimization of their concentration is important in maximizing formulation profitability. The presence of surface active agents on the nanoparticle surface markedly alters the relaxation time of the dispersion until complete coverage of the particle surface area is achieved. Thereafter, additional surfactant does not change the relaxation time significantly. The Acorn Flow is also invaluable in monitoring other changes at the particle liquid interface, such as flocculation. The Acorn Flow is an ideal tool for use in formulation development in virtually any industry, yet is simple enough for routine use in a quality laboratory.
The Acorn Flow temperature controller is shown below. It features a Peltier controlled environment which regulates the sample temperature via the front panel. The sample temperature is set from the front panel membrane keypad.
Measurements with the Acorn Flow are simple and easy. Suspensions and emulsions can be measured non-invasively, without dilution. Pour the sample dispersion into the Acorn Flow Temperature Controller beaker and circulate the sample into the Acorn Flow using the peristaltic pump. The test sequence is initiated with a single key stroke and within minutes, the proprietary AreaQuant software algorithm reports the measured surface area.