Driving Diffraction’s Dry Powder Dispersion

Equipped with the novel Aero dry dispersion unit, the new Mastersizer 3000 particle size analyzer from Malvern Instruments now extends dry measurement to the widest possible range of sample types.

The design of the Aero reflects dry powder dispersion knowledge and enables users to measure materials from cement to coffee, cohesive minerals to fragile pharmaceuticals, from 0.1 micron up to 3.5 mm in the dry state.

Rapid and efficient, this new dispersion unit is supported by the fastest data acquisition rates available. Dry measurements become stable more quickly, and even challenging samples with very wide size distributions are measured accurately.

Dry dispersion of powders is a fast, intuitively appealing and environmentally neutral (no requirement for the disposal of liquid dispersants) approach to sample preparation for laser diffraction particle sizing.

However, its application to fragile, friable particles is constrained by the need to apply enough energy for dispersion without breaking or milling the sample.

To accommodate this, Aero has been designed from the ground up, taking account of the latest dry powder dispersion theory.

The modular dispersion venturi system means that the user can easily select the most appropriate dispersion mechanism for their samples.

The standard venturi supplied with the Aero is suitable for a very wide range of samples, dispersing even moderately cohesive materials while maintaining the integrity of fragile particles.

An optional venturi, which disperses the sample with a direct impaction mechanism, can be used for more aggressive break up of agglomerates and highly cohesive materials, when measuring metal powders or cement for example.

Sensitive pressure control to within +/-0.1 bar across the range 0.1 to 4 bar, allows precise tailoring of energy input to meet diverse sample requirements.

The smooth and efficient sample feed means users can rely on the measurements to be robust. There are different feed trays and hoppers to accommodate various sample sizes, while an enclosed cell ensures bias-free measurement and minimizes user exposure.

The very rapid (10 KHz) data acquisition rate of the Mastersizer 3000 delivers accurate measurement, even at fast sample feed rates.

All the parameters controlling dry powder measurement - sample feed rate, dispersion and system cleaning - are fully controlled through the software via the system manager interface.

Real-time feedback helps streamline method development and routine measurement alike.