The backbone of the Nicomp 380 is a high-resolution multi-modal deconvolution algorithm that resolves close bi-modal distributions – and can even separate a nanomaterial’s native peak from its aggregate tail.  This is essential for developing and classifying nanoparticles and determining colloidal stability, as you will see in these real life examples.

Examples

Situation:

In this bimodal (consisting of 70 – 30% mixture of a 220 and 340 nanometer latex standard), the Gaussian approximation provides a false answer whose reported peak is 288 nanometers.

 
Result:

The Nicomp displays a bimodal whose peaks are located at approximately 230 and 345 nm, and whose volume weighted relative distributions are 38% to 62% respectively.  Note that the Nicomp instrument indicates that the Chi Squared value, which is a determining factor in switching to Nicomp Analysis, is high and the Nicomp analysis displays.

Situation:

In this example the analyst hypothesized that the native peak of Fullerenes sample would be detected at approximately 2 nm, with some aggregates present in the tail of the distribution.  But when the sample was analyzed by another particle size analyzer, only a broad Gaussian was detected at 20 nm and the native peak was never detected.

Result:

The Nicomp 380, using its proprietary deconvolution algorithm, was able to discern a true bimodal where the main peak of the distribution was detected at 1.5 nm and a secondary peak of aggregates was detected at 17 nm.

Situation: 

Most dynamic light scattering analyzers can deliver a broad Gaussian peak, but cannot detect a bi-modal distribution.

Result:

The Nicomp 380 proprietary deconvolution algorithm was able to detect a bimodal in this colloidal silica sample; the first peak being at 10.1 nm and the second being at 22.8 nm. 

Effect of Temperature

Situation:

Here, a Peltier block inside the instrument was used to raise the gel temperature to 40^oC for 12 minutes.  As expected, the peaks shifted to smaller sizes.  Note that the second peak is still positioned at approximately 329 nm – almost exactly where the original material  was found.

In this case the peaks shifted to even smaller sizes when the gel temperature was raised to 40oC for 15 minutes.  The second peak’s center of mass began shifting to smaller sizes as well.

Result

The 7030 Nicomp has its proprietary deconvolution algorithm that can track small changes in the particle size distribution over time. This allows the researcher to see shifts in the distribution that are of great interest and provides insight to the stability and characteristics of the sample.

In a recent market survey when customers were asked what would they find in a perfect particle size analyzer their answer, unanimously, was an instrument that solved their particle sizing problems.  The AccuSizer attempts to fit this request by incorporating a set of capability modules that can be combined to meet the specific application needs of the customer.

AccuSizer 780 Patented High Resolution Sensors

A series of patented high resolution, high sensitivity single particle optical sensors that cover a size range from 0.5 to several 1000 microns for both wet and dry applications is available.  All of the SPOS sensors have the sensitivity to detect single large particle outliers in a sea of smaller particles several standard deviations away from the mean.  They count and size particles one at a time so all signal profiles that are generated by the particles are events from a single particle.  These sensors offer the highest sensitivity and resolution of any automated particle size analyzer in the market today.