Specialty Chemicals & Advanced Materials
Many of our customers are devoted to research and development at the forefront of novel organic materials with unique functional properties, designed to enable future technologies. Our products and expertise are here to facilitate the understanding of these novel materials. Particle size, molecular weight, viscosity, rheology, and stability are all parameters of utmost importance for performance optimization.
Inks, Paint & Coatings
Formulations that are concentrated and colored are strongly absorbing and very challenging to characterize using standard DLS. The resulting weak signals can be sufficiently enhanced for proper detection using a high power laser, while the Modulated 3D technology guarantees measurement accuracy at high concentrations. In parallel, proper characterization of the dispersion quality for complex systems is enabled by our unique CORENN algorithm. Both these elements are available in our NanoLab 3D, guaranteeing you fail-safe measurements, no matter the complexity of the system.
Solvent evaporation during measurements is another challenge often encountered in the characterization of paints, inks, and coatings. Light scattering enables measurements of size, molecular weight, and rheological parameters on samples loaded in sealed cuvettes, effectively removing this limitation.
In addition, the solvent-borne systems traditionally used in paints are harmful to the health and environment. Current efforts have been focused on developing safer products. We are glad to offer through our instruments a wealth of relevant information to replace key formulation ingredients without alteration of the final properties.
Read more:
Our application note on the characterization of the dispersion quality of an ink formulation
Customer publication on drying-mediated patterns in colloidal films
Customer publication on the rheological properties of waterborne polyurethane paints
Particle shape characterization
One of the most powerful applications of light scattering! Characterizing the shape of a nanoparticle can be done with Static Light Scattering, for example by measuring its Form Factor. This involves a multi-angle measurement with high resolution – done with our LS Spectrometer – and a fitting by an appropriate model.
You can also measure the Radius of Gyration together with the Hydrodynamic Radius of your system to obtain the so-called shape factor (or Q-parameter). In the example of a known sphere morphology, this tells you whether you are looking at hard spheres, empty shells or functionalized particles with brushes on the surface.
Finally, Depolarized DLS is a relatively unknown, yet efficient technique to characterize the motion and shape of anisotropic particles such as nanorods or ellipsoidal nanoparticles.
Need more details? Get in touch with us! We would be happy to walk you through the possibilities.
Read more:
Our Learning Section on Static Light Scattering
Our Webinar on Depolarized DLS
Customer publication on the characterization of gold nanorods via Depolarized DLS
3D Printing & Bioprinting
How can we better understand the in-flight and post-impact behavior of printing ink droplets? How to design materials that are biocompatible while keeping reliable mechanical properties? Many new 3D printing techniques have emerged recently and a lot of questions remain open on appropriate formulation design.
Removing the traditional “black-box” approach is key to successful manufacturing. DWS is a passive and non-intrusive micro-rheological technique that enables access to the ultra-high jetting frequencies ( up to 10⁶ rad/s) that are relevant to the processes at play.
It also enables in-situ monitoring of printing such as thermal transitions of resins, polymerisation , or effective binding of particles during powder printing.
For bioprinting involving water-based formulations like hydrogels, measurements can be conducted under evaporation-free conditions. Particle sizing can also be conducted in parallel to viscoelasticity measurements.
Read more:
Customer publication on 3D bioprinting with a novel in situ polymerisable acrylic ink system
Customer publication on the generation of inkjet drops of particulate gel
Rheology of hydrogels, polymers and elastomers
Looking to get a better rheological understanding of your systems? DWS is a little-known, yet powerful technique that provides viscoelasticity information with no mechanical stress applied to the sample, with high sensitivity over a large frequency range and the possibility to seal the samples during measurements.
This is especially interesting when working with hydrogels, as measurements can be conducted under evaporation-free conditions. Embedded colloids can also be characterized through an available particle sizing module.
The DWS technique is based on the measurement of sample dynamics, and for a long time, samples with high viscoelastic moduli were challenging to characterizing since the slow dynamics required very long measurement times. In recent years, we have patented a new development called the Echo DWS technology that brings down measurement times from several hours to a few minutes for extremely firm samples such as an elastomer or cosmetic filler formulations.
Ready to close a characterization gap? Get in touch with us!
Read more:
Our Learning page on DWS and Echo DWS
Customer publication on hydrogel scaffolds for 3D printing
Customer publication on the microrheology of DNA microgels
Customer publication on the high-frequency rheology of a high viscosity silicone oil.
Nanoparticles in biological environments
Proper characterization of nanoparticle behavior in biological fluids is fundamental for either exploiting their potentially beneficial properties or mitigating the risks they may pose to human health. DLS provides a non-invasive and extremely sensitive method to this end.
However, when working in food or biological tissue applications, distinguishing the relevant nanoparticle scattering signal from the irrelevant scattering of the biological matrix is very challenging. This limitation can be overcome through Depolarized DLS: unwanted signals from the biological matrix are completely suppressed and in turn, the behavior of nanoparticles in complex physiological/biological fluids can be accurately explored.
For applications related to the presence of micro and nanoplastics in water, DWS enables the monitoring of processes involved, such as the precipitation of contaminants via bio-flocculants to facilitate their removal.
Read more:
Customer publication on nanoparticles in complex biological media and physiological fluids
Customer publication on nanoparticles in food or environmental samples
Customer publication on fluorescent nanoparticles tracked in physiological environments.
Customer publication on the removal of microplastics in water through natural bio-flocculants