Particle characterization in general comprises analysis of the porous properties as well as particle size of powders and solids. Various techniques can be applied to cover a wide range of pore sizes from lower nm range to several hundreds of micrometers, whereas in case of particle size analysis the particle size range even extends into the mm range.

Porosity of powders and porous solids can be measured by different techniques based on adsorption of inert gases. Physical gas adsorption or physisorption is important in the determination of porosity in general and more specific the specific surface area (BET surface area, according to the Brunauer, Emmet and Teller theory), pore volume and pore size distribution of porous materials and non-porous materials. Screening of the porous properties of a catalyst or other porous material can be achieved by dynamic adsorption where very rapidly information is obtained on the BET surface area and total pore volume.

Analysis of CO2 adsorption is performed at 273 K on microporous carbons or activated carbons or charcoals for determination of the micropore size and micropore surface area and microporosity.

Using these methods, the pore size distribution can be assessed in the range from micropores to macropores according to IUPAC classification, resulting in pores from ca. 0.5 nm up to ca. 100 nm. The pore size analysis range can be extended by using mercury intrusion porosimetry.

 Mercury porosimetry or mercury intrusion is measured for characterization of mesoporous and macroporous solids. The non-wetting behaviour of mercury enables the determination of pores in a wide pore size range   and provides information on total porosity, pore size distribution, pore surface area, pore volume and apparent density and bulk density.

 Helium pycnometry gives information on the skeletal density of solid materials and combined with the apparent density derived form mercury porosimetry can give information on the overall porosity. Helium does not adsorb at ambient conditions and can therefore be used as a density analysis of solid samples. The analysis is performed on the Quantrachrome penta pycnometer.

Chemisorption or chemical gas adsorption is used to analyze mostly catalysts for determination of the active metal surface area and metal dispersion and metal crystallite size by chemical adsorption of reactive gases as hydrogen (H2) and carbonmonoxide (CO) on metals as platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), nickel (Ni), ruthenium (Ru) and rhodium (Rh). The chemical adsorption isotherm is measured after in-situ reduction and evacuation of the catalyst. This technique does not provide information on the porous characteristics. Other techniques in catalyst characterization are desorption of ammonia to analyze acidity and physical gas adsorption to analyze the porous properties.

In laser diffraction (static light scattering) the scattering pattern, obtained from illumination of dispersed particles with a laser beam, contains information about particle size. The interaction between particles and light is mainly dependent on particle size, shape, surface roughness and refractive indices of material and dispersing medium.

For a specific material, the scattering pattern of a particle is unique for its size. Deconvolution of the sample scattering pattern with an optical model such as Mie or Fraunhofer results in the particle size distribution.

The technique is especially applicable for particle size analysis of samples with a broad or bimodal distribution and for information on size trends in series of samples.

Materials can be characterized in the range of 0.04 to 2000 µm and dispersion can be made in water, organic liquids as well as in air (dry).

For more information please visit www.solids-solutions.com

Delft Solids Solutions is located in the Netherlands and is a testing laboratory for measurement and analysis and characterization of porosity, pore size, pore size distribution, specific surface area, pore volume, particle size, particle size distribution, sprays, and chemical composition and chemical analysis of solid materials (solids), liquids and gases.

Figure: pore size analysis

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Delft Solids Solutions
Testing laboratory for characterization of materials, surface area and pore size of porous and non-porous materials, chemical composition of solids and gases, particle size of powders and sprays. Accurate measurements of porosity, composition or particle size by academically skilled personnel and short turn-around times.
porosity particle size analysis pore determination characterization powder surface area BET catalyst spray gas sorbent adsorption
Porosity Analyses
Testing laboratory for characterization of porous and non-porous materials, physical gas adsorption, mercury porosimetry, chemical gas adsorption and helium pycnometry Also chemical composition and particle size measurements are performed.
Porosity Catalyst Size Surface area Adsorption Physisorption Pore Chemisorption BET Gas Nitrogen Mercury Desorption Intrusion Density
Physical Gas Adsorption
Testing laboratory for characterization of porous and non-porous materials, physical gas adsorption, mercury porosimetry, chemical gas adsorption and helium pycnometry Also chemical composition and particle size measurements are performed
BET, physisorption, pores, gas adsorption, surface area, physical, adsorption, pore size, porosity, desorption, adsorption, gas, distribution, nitrogen, argon, krypton
Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry
Testing laboratory for characterization of porous and non-porous materials, physical gas adsorption, mercury porosimetry, chemical gas adsorption and helium pycnometry. Also chemical composition and particle size measurements are performed.
porosity, porosimetry, pore size, intrusion, mercury, penetration, pressure, extrusion, voids,
mercury porosimetry, density, pores, distribution, mercury intrusion, Washburn
Chemical gas adsorbtion
Testing laboratory for characterization of porous and non-porous materials, physical gas adsorption, mercury porosimetry, chemical gas adsorption and helium pycnometry. Also chemical composition and particle size measurements are performed
adsorption, chemisorption, catalyst, surface area, dispersion, chemical adsorption, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, crystallite size, monolayer isotherm, activity, reduction, metal dispersion, metal
Helium pycnometry
Testing laboratory for characterization of porous and non-porous materials, physical gas adsorption, mercury porosimetry, chemical gas adsorption and helium pycnometry Also chemical composition and particle size measurements are performed
porosity BET pore size surface area adsorption physisorption mesopore chemisorption dispersion gas adsorption micropore mercury desorption intrusion density skeletal, density, solid, skeletal density, apparent, pycnometry, helium, heliumpycnometry, true density, porosity, displacement, void, volume, analysis
sizing analyses
Conductivity, flexibility, gloss, hardness, stability, strength and taste are some of the properties that can be influenced by particle size.
particle size, particle shape, size distribution, powder, spray, size characterization, size characterisation, droplet size, laser diffraction, sphere, aerosol, submicron, shape, nano particle, light scattering
Light Scattering Techniques
Testing laboratory for characterization of powders, sprays and emulsions. Particle size with laser diffraction, photon correlation spectroscopy, phase Doppler velocimetry, electrical measurements, imaging, sedimentation. Also porosity and chemical composition measurements are performed.
laser diffraction, photon correlation spectroscopy, light scattering, particle size analysis, PCS, brownian motion, QELS, droplet size droplet velocity, spray, particle shape, mie, fraunhofer, phase doppler powder
Laser diffraction
Photon Correlation Spectroscopy
Phase Doppler Velocimetry
Electrical techniques
Testing laboratory for characterization of powders, sprays and emulsions. Particle size with laser diffraction, photon correlation spectroscopy, phase Doppler velocimetry, electrical measurements, imaging, sedimentation. Also porosity and chemical composition measurements are performed.
laser diffraction, scattering, light, particle, size, distribution, He-Ne laser, PIDS, dispersion, dry, wet, shape, median, powder
Electrical mobility
Electrical sensing zone
optical techniques
Testing laboratory for characterization of powders, sprays and emulsions. Particle size with laser diffraction, photon correlation spectroscopy, phase, optical techniques. Doppler velocimetry, electrical measurements, imaging, sedimentation. Also porosity and chemical composition measurements are performed.
Scanning electron microscopy
Image analysis
other techniques
Gravitational sedimentation
Sieve analysis
laser diffraction, scattering, light, particle, size, distribution, He-Ne laser, PIDS, dispersion, dry, wet, shape, median, powder
composition analyses
Testing laboratory for characterization of solids and gases. Chemical composition of various materials with neutron activation analysis, x-ray fluorescence, differential scanning calorimetry. Gas composition analysis with Fourier transform IR, mass or non dispersive microwave spectrometry. Also porosity and particle size measurements are performed.
component, element, gases, gas, analysis, platinum, platina, silicon, silicium, aluminium, cadmium, copper, koper, lead, lood, cobalt, cerium, natrium, zinc, zink, germanium, calcium, titanium, chromium, chrome, chroom, rhodium, iron, ijzer, kalium, chlorine, chloor, manganese, mangaan, barium, magnesium, nickel, nickel, molybdeen, tin, antimony, antimoon, fluor, iodine, jood, sodium, jodium, bromium, potassium, broom
NO, NO2, H2O, NH3, SO2, SO3, C3H, F, Se, Al, Ba, Ca, Cl, Cu, Dy, Er, Ga, K, I, In, Mg, Mn, Na, Rh, Si, Ti, V, As, Au, Ba, Br, Ca, Cd, Ce, Cr, Fe, Ga, K, La, Mo, Na, Pd, Pt, Re, Sb, Sc, Sm, U, W, Yb, Zn, Ag, Ba, Ca, Ce, Cr, Co, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, Hg, Ir, Lu, Nd, Ni, Os, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, Sn, Sr, Ta, Tb, Te, Th, Yb, Zn, Zr
composition analyses of Gases
Testing laboratory for characterization of solids and gases. Chemical composition of various materials with neutron activation analysis, x-ray fluorescence, differential scanning calorimetry. Gas composition analysis with Fourier transform IR, mass or non dispersive microwave spectrometry. Also porosity and particle size measurements are performed.
FTIR, MS, NH3, ammonia, determination, analysis, gases, gas, scan, mass, spectrometry, microwave, infrared, exhaust, flue
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FTIR)
Mass Spectrometry
Non-dispersive Microwave Spectrometry
composition analyses of Solids
Testing laboratory for characterization of solids and gases. Chemical composition of various materials with neutron activation analysis, x-ray fluorescence, differential scanning calorimetry. Gas composition analysis with Fourier transform IR, mass or non dispersive microwave spectrometry. Also porosity and particle size measurements are performed
solids, INAA, XRF, TGA, DSC, analysis, measurement, determination, laboratory,lab, composition
Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA)
X-ray Fluorescence
Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)
Thermogravimetry (TGA)
other information / keywords to be found on our website: www.solids-solutions.com

Keywords:
characterization, surface area, porosity, adsorption, molecular sieve, microporous, mesoporous, macroporous, chemisorption, characterisation, particle, catalyst, particle, nano, material
Quantachrome, Beckman Coulter, Micromeritics, Malvern, CE instruments, Sympatec, ALV, TSI, Thermo Onix, Perkin , Elmer, Nicolet, Siemens, Eco Physics, Signal
determination, chemisorption, physisorption, gas adsorption, mercury intrusion, laser diffraction, PCS, QELS, Coulter counter, SEM, image analysis, mass spectrometry, FTIR, spectrometry, light scattering
sample analysis, surface, size, shape, distribution, diameter, trend, fraction, sphere , micron, sub-micron, metal oxide, macromolecule, colloid
catalyst, powder, spray, emulsion, ceramic , aerosol, droplet, suspension, crystal , waste water, pigment , polymer , latex , micel