Field ESA is a powerful, reliable and user friendly zeta potential device which delivers reliable and reproducible results in concentrated, turbid, colored or viscous dispersions. Invasive sample preparation procedures are thus not necessary. It is highly versatile and can be employed in the lab or as on-line process analysis tool with a variety of extensions, thus providing a vast variety of R&D, QA and QC solutions on a daily basis. Thanks to the integrated microprocessor technology and an optional battery pack, it can also be used in the field with a dip-in sensor for up to two days without the need of a computer.
◊ Ceramics | ◊ Filtration |
◊ Paint and inks | ◊ Wet milling/grinding |
◊ Semiconductors | ◊ Control of surface coating |
◊ Dyes | ◊ Homogenization control |
◊ Food colloids | ◊ Abrasives and polish |
◊ Cement | ◊ Nano-dispersions |
◊ Paper | ◊ Catalysts and Zeolites |
The device employs alternating current to force the charged particles to oscillate with the frequency of the external electric field. The oscillation of matter at frequencies of 200 KHz to 2 MHz produces ultrasonic waves. The amplitude of these waves or the Electrokinetic Sonic Amplitude (ESA) is proportional, through proven theory, to the zeta potential of the particles in the dispersion. The technology is non-invasive and non-destructive as the pulse widths are in the region of milliseconds and the acoustic wave power is a couple of microwatts. The pulse energy is so small that it has to be detected with a special phase sensitve transducer, this high precision transducer detects ESA as well as the phase shift.
Measured Parameters | Lower Limit | Upper Limit |
Zeta potential | -250 mV | 250 mV |
ESA | 0 mPa*m/V | 30 mPa*m/V |
pH | 1 | 14 |
Conductivity | 1 µS/m | 5 S/m |
Temperature | ||
Standard probe | 5 °C | 50 °C |
High-temperature probe | 5 °C | 90 °C |
Particle size estimation | 220 nm* | see below* |
Measurement time | 1 s | 60 s |
Sample characteristic | ||
Particle size range | >0.5 nm* | 100 µm* |
Volume | 1 ml | - |
Density difference | 0.1 g/cm³ | - |
Particle concentration | 0.01 % v/v* | Paste-like suspensions |
Sample types | Dispersions, emulsions, pastes, semisolids | - |
Solvents | Aqueous and non-aqueous solvents | - |
Available cells | Volume | Available measurements |
Micro cell | 1 ml (Steel) | Zeta potential, ESA |
Small cell | 5 ml (Polymer/Steel) | Zeta potential, ESA |
Flowthrough cell | 7 ml (Steel) | Zeta potential, ESA |
Standard cell | 50/70 ml (POM/Steel) | Zeta potential, ESA, temperature & conductivity,pH, IEP, additive titration |
Large cell | 250 ml (POM/Teflon) | Zeta potential, ESA, temperature & conductivity(external sensor),pH, IEP, additive titration |
User defined | Upon request | Upon request |
* - Depending on the size distribution, nature of the material, the density difference particle to solvent and cell configuration