Particle Sizing Systems has many products and applications for industry. With our ability to size, count and give zeta potential information on a host of different products we are able to assist in predicting the final performance and stability of these products during the manufacturing process.
Abrasives
Abrasives are either
natural or synthetic.
They can be used to
grind, cut, drill,
shape, finish or
polish another object.
Abrasives work by
using force on more
dense material to
abrade a less dense
material. The quality
of the abrasive can be
determined by the
"roughness" and
particle size
uniformity of of the
denser abrasive
material.
Chemical mechanical
polishing (CMP)
Chemical mechanical
polishing is used in
the fabrication of
semiconductors and
works the same way as
abrasives above. The
abrasive in this case
is a "slurry" composed
of a corrosive
chemical and an
abrasive (typically
alumina, silica or
ceria). This process
relies heavily on the
topography being
created on the wafer
being polished. The
tolerances, usually in
angstroms, on these
wafers during
manufacturing is
extremely crucial.
Particle size
uniformity and lack of
aggregates and
colloids within the
slurry contribute to
the overall outcome of
this CMP process.
Ceramics
Ceramics are used in
many different
industries from bricks
to biomedical implants
to superconductors.
Monitoring particle
size during the
manufacturing process
can give you
information on the
overall performance of
the final product.
Clays
Clay is a natural
material consisting of
fine grained minerals
with varying degrees
of moisture. Silts,
which are natural
materials as well, are
larger than clays and
interfere with the
classifications and
performance of clays.
ISO 14688 grades clay
particles as being
smaller than 63µm, and
silts larger.
Coatings
Coatings are made and
used in many different
industries for many
different purposes,
but with all these
different applications
the thickness and
composition of the
coating can be
directly related to
the performance of
that coating. The
particle size
distribution...need
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Contamination
monitoring
Contamination
monitoring is one of
the industries were
particle sizing plays
a crucial role. Most
industries have
standards and
regulations they have
to abide by and
criteria they have to
meet for their
products. These
regulations have
stringent requirements
that have to be met in
order for products to
pass QA/QC.
Cosmetics
Cosmetics from
foundations to
moisturizers to
antiperspirants can
directly relate their
performance to their
particle size
distribution.
Foundations depending
on their particle size
will spread or
distribute differently
and reflect different
amounts of light.
Moisturizers,
basically emulsions,
need to be less than
200nm in size to be
absorbed into the
skin. Antiperspirant
particles need to be
large enough to block
pores to prevent
perspiration.
Emulsions
Emulsions by
definition are a
mixture of two
immiscible substances.
Mainly these are oil
in water mixture or
water in oil mixtures.
The most common
emulsions people come
in contact with are
milk (water
surrounding droplets
of oil) and butter
(oil surrounding
droplets of water). In
both cases the
products are
homogenized to a
certain particle size
to maintain or extend
shelf life.
Food
Individual food
components powders and
liquids are usually
manufactured at a
different plant prior
to final assembly of
the final product.
These individual
components have to
maintain a certain
criteria to produce a
consistent product.
Any variation of
individual components
can alter the flavor
or texture of the
final product. By
using the particle
size distribution of
individual components
as a tool of the QA/QC
of a product you can
maintain production of
a consistent product.
Hydraulics/Oils
Hydraulics and oils
are becoming more
expensive. The ability
to extend the life of
these fluids in
equipment is now a
major concern.
Equipment motor pools
need a way of
determining the
lifespan of the oil in
their equipment. Most
mechanical equipment
that use oils as a
lubricant or hydraulic
fluid need to
determine when to
change the oil. The
machinery will shed
metal flakes or
particles in these
oils and eventually
need to be changed. By
monitoring the oil in
use you can determine
when these oils need
to be changed and
extend the life cycle
of the oil in use.
Inks
As printer
technologies evolve
the inks used in the
printers becomes ever
more important. Ink
jet and bubble jet
printers need a
uniform ink particle
size distribution with
predictable behaviors.
Large particles can
clog printer heads and
distort the final
printed piece. Inks
are made from a
milling process. This
process can be
monitored with
particle sizing
equipment to assure a
homogenous
distribution without
any large aggregates.
Latexes
Latexes
Micelles
Micelles are
aggregates consisting
of lipids with a
hydrophilic head and
hydrophobic tail.
Paints
Paints
Pharmaceutical powders
Pharmaceutical powders
Pigments
Pigments
Polymers
Polymers
Proteins/macromolecules
Proteins/macromolecules
Silica
Silica
TNAs
TNAs