Particle Characterization
New horizons in particle analysis
The better you know your particles, the better you can predict your materials’ behavior. Parameters you want to measure for these investigations include particle size, pore size, particle shape, internal structure, zeta potential, surface area, reactive area, density, powder flow, and many more. Anton Paar offers you instrumentation for all of them and more – it’s the broadest particle characterization portfolio available from one single provider worldwide.
Make use of this wide choice and also benefit from decade-long expertise in the field – all at only one point of contact.
Technologies, parameters, instruments: Find out what’s perfect for you!
Click on a parameter to see what Anton Paar offers you in a particular field of particle characterization. You can then use the filters in the table to further focus your search on a specific technology and get information on the different measuring ranges.
When you click on an instrument you can see its detailed features and specifications.
|
Measurement |
Technology |
Dispertion Type |
Measurement Range |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor Uptake | Gravimetric Water Vapor Sorption | Dry | ||
|
|
Surface Area Range | Gas Sorption (BET), Dynamic Flow BET Analysis |
Minimum Measurable Surface Area
0.1 m²/g |
|
| Surface Area Range / Pore Size Range | Gas Sorption |
Surface Area, Pore Size
2 nm to 500 nm (with N or Ar) 0.35 nm to 2 nm (with CO₂ on C) Minimum Measurable Surface Area 0.1 m²/g |
||
| Surface Area, Pore Size | Gas Sorption (Physisorption, Chemisorption) | Dry |
Pore Size Range
0.35 nm to 500 nm Minimum Measurable Surface Area from 0.0005 m²/g with krypton, from 0.01 m²/g with N₂ |
|
| Density | Bulk Density | Dry |
Volume Range
1 cc |
|
| Reactive Area | Gas Sorption (Chemisorption) | Dry | ||
| Reactive Area | Gas Sorption (Chemisorption) | Dry | ||
| Sample Preparation | Vacuum, Flow Degassing | Dry | ||
| Gas storage capacity | High Pressure, Gas Sorption | Dry | ||
| Particle Size | Dynamic Light Scattering | Liquid |
Particle Size Range
0.3 nm to 10 µm |
|
| Particle Size, Zeta Potential | Dynamic Light Scattering, Electrophoretic Light Scattering (ELS), Static Light Scattering (SLS) | Liquid |
Particle Size Range
0.3 nm to 10 µm |
|
| Sample Preparation | Vacuum, Flow Degassing | Dry |
|
|
| Powder Flow Properties | Multiple Powder Flow Measurement Methods Rheology | Dry / Liquid |
Particle Size Range
5 nm to 5 mm |
|
| Density | Gas Pycnometry |
Volume Range
0.025 cc |
||
| Sample Preparation | Representative Sampling | Dry |
Volume Range
20 cc |
|
| Surface Area, Pore Size | Gas Sorption | Dry |
Pore Size Range
0.35 nm to 500 nm / 2 nm to 500 nm (with N or Ar) 0.35 nm to 2 nm (with CO₂ on C) Minimum Measurable Surface Area 0.01 m²/g |
|
| Cell Porosity | Gas Pycnometry | Dry |
Volume Range
1 cc |
|
| Density | Gas Pycnometry | Dry |
Volume Range
1 cc |
|
| Pore Size | Porosimetry | Dry |
Volume Range
0.05 cc Pore Size Range 1100 µm to 0.0064 µm |
|
| Particle Size | Laser Diffraction | Dry / Liquid |
Particle Size Range
0.1 μm (dry) / 0.04 μm (wet) to 500 μm |
|
| Particle Size | Laser Diffraction | Dry / Liquid |
Particle Size Range
0.1 μm (dry) / 0.04 μm (wet) to 2500 μm |
|
| Particle Size | Laser Diffraction | Dry / Liquid |
Particle Size Range
0.3 μm (dry) / 0.2 μm (wet) to 500 μm |
|
| Surface Area, Pore Size | Gas Sorption | Dry |
Pore Size Range
0.35 nm to 500 nm 0.35 nm to 2 nm (with CO₂ on C) Minimum Measurable Surface Area 0.01 m²/g; 0.0005 m²/g |
|
| Particle Size, Particle Shape and Internal Structure | SAXS, WAXS, GISAXS | Dry / Liquid |
Particle Size Range / Pore Size Range
<1 nm to 105 nm (q range (Cu K-alpha): 0.03 nm⁻¹ to 41 nm⁻¹) |
|
| Particle Size, Particle Shape and Internal Structure | SAXS, WAXS, GISAXS | Dry / Liquid |
Particle Size Range / Pore Size Range
<1 nm to 160 nm (q range (Cu K-alpha): 0.02 nm⁻¹ to 41 nm⁻¹) |
|
| Cell Porosity | Gas Pycnometry | Dry |
Volume Range
1 cc |
|
| Density | Gas Pycnometry | Dry |
Volume Range
1 cc |
|
| Vapor Uptake | Vapor Sorption | Dry | ||
| Sample Preparation | Vacuum Degassing | Dry |
Particle characterization solutions by Anton Paar
Particle size analyzers
Particles can be complex, but measuring them doesn’t have to be. The Litesizer and PSA series enable particle size measurements at just the touch of a button, and much more:
- Litesizer series: Dynamic light scattering for particle size analysis from the lower nanometer up to the micrometer range including zeta potential, molecular mass, transmittance and refractive index measurements
- PSA series: Laser diffraction for size analysis of liquid and dry dispersions up to the millimeter range
- Dedicated accessories allow measurements with small sample volume, in organic solutions, using automatic sample transfer, etc.
- Focus on your particles: Kalliope software serves both instruments and reduces operator involvement to a minimum
Powder rheology
Advanced true powder rheology that brings the full array of traditional rheological methods, and decades of experience, into the field of granular media:
- The amazing precision of renowned MCR rheometers, upgraded to a versatile and powerful powder rheometer
- High reproducibility through fully automated measurement modes
- Multiple measurement modes for both quality control and scientific purposes
- Exchangeable measurement systems and flexible software allow characterization from hopper design to segregation testing and state-of-art fluidized bed rheometry
Adsorption analyzers
In adsorption analysis, it is essential to combine both intelligent instrument design and advanced computational data reduction models:
- Wide range of instruments for vapor sorption, physisorption, chemisorption, and high-pressure sorption
- Fully automated systems with multi-station analysis and sample preparation options
- Perfect for analyzing pore size, surface area, and gas/solid interactions of catalysts, pharmaceuticals, battery materials, adsorbents, and all other porous materials
- World-renowned data reduction models and quick measurement reports, for traditional and complex new materials
Mercury Intrusion Porosimeters
The most widely used method to determine the porosity of macroporous materials:
- Designed to provide the safest operator experience, even when working with mercury
- Features such as the simplified liquid mercury introduction and automated oil purging make PoreMaster the easiest-to-use mercury intrusion porosimeter
- The ultimate in high-pressure data resolution is achieved via the control provided by the screw drive and the intelligence of the autospeed pressure generation routine
- Liquid mercury filling and low-pressure measurements as well as high-pressure measurements are typically completed within 30 minutes
Solid density analyzers
Get all the solid density values you need from one source – with the highest accuracy available:
- An instrument portfolio that covers measurements of true or skeletal density, tapped bulk density, and geometric density
- Best-in-class: Highest-accuracy results over the widest measurement range
- Safe and cost-effective: No liquid mercury needed to measure geometric density
- Non-destructive gas pycnometry: Works with inert and clean gas
SAXS systems
SAXSpace and SAXSpoint 2.0 small-angle X-ray scattering systems provide excellent resolution and the best possible data quality for nanoparticle research:
- Brilliant X-ray sources and optics for the highest spectral purity and flux
- Scatterless beam collimation and state-of-the-art hybrid photon-counting (HPC) detectors for a high signal-to-noise ratio and excellent data quality
- Wide variety of sample stages for particle characterization under controlled temperature and atmosphere
- Reliable operation with high uptimes, high sample throughput, and low maintenance costs
Experts from the start
As broad as the particle characterization portfolio of Anton Paar is, many instruments have one thing in common: They have been the first of their kind and are still the flagship instruments in their field. For example, PSA, invented back in 1967, was the first particle size analyzer using laser diffraction technology. The first commercial small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) camera, developed by Otto Kratky in 1957, was manufactured by Anton Paar. Today, Anton Paar SAXS systems are still the benchmark when it comes to this technology. Quantachrome Instruments, a brand of Anton Paar, started to make its way to the top in 1968. Ever since then, dedicated teams of scientists have developed innovations in close contact with users, resulting in the best possible solutions for measuring porous materials and powders.
Use the Anton Paar expertise in particle characterization for your particle research and material development.
Along with a wide range of specific instrumentation, Anton Paar offers extensive application consulting as well as application information. Application reports, the Anton Paar Wiki, the Anton Paar Blog, and webinars offer in-depth knowledge on particle characterization topics such as:
- Dynamic light scattering (DLS): The basic concept for measuring the particle size
- Particle size determination
- Particle size distribution
- Basics of laser diffraction (LD)
- Powder rheology
- Nanostructure analysis with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS)
- Surface area determination
- Solid density of powders
- How to measure zeta potential with (ELS)
- and many more …
Use these resources and our long-standing expertise in particle characterization to explore new fields of application and achieve optimal results in production, quality control, and product development. Of course, you can also reach out directly to us with any questions concerning instruments and applications.
Get hands-on experience at the Anton Paar Technical Centers.
Are you a hands-on person who prefers to see our instruments in real-life? See if one of our Technical Centers has your desired instrument available or if a particle characterization seminar is planned in your region.
Free Particle Characterization Webinars
Upcoming live webinars
Powder Rheology 7: Segregation and Fluidized Bed Viscosity
This webinar focuses on two of the more complicated measurement modes in powder rheology: segregation measurements and the measurement of fluidized bed viscosity. You will learn about the measurements which can be carried out to help with processing and handling of powders.
Particle Characterization Techniques for Food and Beverages
This webinar focuses on particle characterization for the food and beverage industry by means of dynamic light scattering (DLS) as well as laser diffraction.
Free webinar recordings
Seminars
Particle Characterization Techniques for Food and Beverages
Austria
2019-03-13, 09:00 - 10:00
(CET UTC+01)
Particle Characterization Techniques for Food and Beverages
Austria
2019-03-13, 15:00 - 16:00
(CET UTC+01)
Journée Technique Master Foqual
GRASSE, France
2019-03-14, 08:30 - 17:00
Journée thématique« Comportement dynamique des Poudres »
Seminar
GRENOBLE, France
2019-04-02, 08:30 - 17:00
Kooperationsseminar | Rheologie und Stabilität von dispersen Systemen
Seminar
Advanced training | Potsdam, Germany
2019-06-03, 12:00 - 2019-06-05, 16:00
(CET UTC+01)
Workshop Oberflächen- und Porenanalyse mittels Gasadsorption
Workshop
Basic training | Ostfildern, Germany
2019-06-26, 09:00 - 2019-06-27, 15:00
Charakterisierung von Pulvern und dispersen Systemen
Workshop
Basic training | Ostfildern, Stuttgart, Germany
2019-10-15, 09:00 - 2019-10-16, 16:30
Characterization Techniques for Powders, Particles, and Porous Media
Seminar
Basic training | Vernon Hills, IL, United States
2019-04-10, 08:30 - 2019-04-11, 17:00
(CDT UTC−05)
