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Nanoparticle Size Analyzer NANOTRAC WAVE II

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Microtrac’s NANOTRAC Wave II / Zeta is a highly flexible Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) analyzer which provides information on particle size, zeta potential, concentration, and molecular weight. It allows faster measurements with reliable technology, higher precision, and better accuracy. All of this combined into a compact DLS analyzer with a revolutionary fixed optical probe.

With the unique and flexible probe design and the use of the Laser Amplified Detection method in the NANOTRAC Wave II / Zeta, the user is able to choose from a wide array of measurement cells that satisfy the needs of any application. This design also allows measurements of samples over a wide concentration range, monomodal or multimodal samples, all without prior knowledge of the particle size distribution. This is made possible through the use of the Frequency Power Spectrum (FPS) method instead of classical Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (PCS).

Nanoparticle Size Analyzer NANOTRAC WAVE II / ZETA Ideal for Nanoparticle & Zeta Potential Analysis

Functional Principle

Nanoparticle Size Analyzer NANOTRAC WAVE II / ZETA Typical Applications

Versatility is a great strength of Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). This makes the method suitable for a variety of applications in both research and industry, such as pharmaceuticals, colloids, microemulsions, polymers, industrial minerals, inks and many more.

pharmaceuticals

  • pharmaceuticals
  • inks
  • life sciences
  • ceramics
  • beverages & food
 emulsions

emulsions

  • colloids
  • polymers
  • microemulsions
  • cosmetics
  • chemicals
steel

steel

  • environment
  • adhesives
  • metals
  • industrial minerals

    ... and many more!

Intuitive Use With Just a Few Clicks DIMENSIONS LS for NANOTRAC Series

The DIMENSIONS LS software comprises five clearly structured Workspaces for easy method development and operation of the NANOTRAC instrument. Results display and evaluation of multiple analyses are possible in the corresponding workspaces, even during ongoing measurements.

  • Simple method development
  • Clearly structured result presentation
  • Various evaluation options
  • Intuitive workflow
  • Extensive data export
  • Multi-user capability

Nanoparticle Size Analyzer NANOTRAC WAVE II / ZETA Technical Data

MethodBackscattered laser-amplified scattering reference method
Calculation modelFFT power spectrum
Measurement angle180°
Measuring range0.3 nm - 10 µm
Sample cellVarious sample cell options
Zeta potential analysisyes
Zeta measurement range (potential)-200 mV - +200 mV
Zeta measurement range (size)10 nm - 20 µm
Electrophoretic mobility0 - 15 (µm/s) / (V/cm)
Conductivity measurementyes
Conductivity range0 - 10 mS / cm
Molecular weight measurementyes
Molecular weight range<300 Da -> 20 x 10^6 Da
Temperature range+4°C - +90°C
Temperature accuracy± 0.1°C
Temperature controlyes
Temperature control range+4°C - +90°C
Titrationyes
Reproducibility (size)=< 1%
Reproducibility (zeta)+ / - 3%
Sample volume size measurement50 µl - 3 ml
Sample volume zeta measurement150 µl - 2 ml
Concentration measurementyes
Sample concentrationup to 40 % (sample dependent)
Carrier fluidsWater, polar and unpolar organic solvents, acid and base
Laser780 nm, 3 mW; 2 laser diodes with zeta
Humidity90 % non-condensing
Dimensions (W x H x D)355 x 381 x 330 mm

The optical bench of the nanoparticle size analyzer NANOTRAC WAVE II is a probe containing an optical fiber coupled with a Y splitter. Laser light is focused on a volume of sample at the interface of the probe window and the dispersion. The high reflectivity sapphire window reflects a portion of the laser beam back to a photodiode detector. The laser light also penetrates the dispersion and the particle’s scattered light reflects at 180 degrees back to the same detector.
The scattered light from the sample has a low optical signal relative to the reflected laser beam. The reflected laser beam mixes with the scattered light from the sample, adding the high amplitude of the laser beam to the low amplitude of the raw scatter signal. This Laser Amplified Detection method provides up to 106 of times the signal to noise ratio of other DLS methods like Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (PCS) and NanoTracking (NT).

A Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of the Laser Amplified Detection signal results in a linear frequency power spectrum which is then transformed into logarithmic space and deconvoluted to give the resulting particle size distribution. Combined with Laser Amplified Detection, this frequency power spectrum calculation provides robust calculation of all types of particle size distributions – narrow, broad, mono-modal or multi-modal – with no need for a priori information for algorithm fitting as it is for PCS.

The Laser Amplified Detection method used in Microtrac particle analyzers is unaffected by signal aberrations due to contaminants in the sample. Classical PCS instruments need to either filter the sample or create complicated measurement methods to eliminate these signal aberrations.

Introduction to Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) - Functional Principle

1. Detector |  2. Reflected laser beam & scattered light |  3. Sapphire window |  4. Y-beam splitter |  5. GRIN lens |  6. Sample | 7. Laser beam in optical fiber |  8. Laser

Iterative Particle Size Calculation from Power Spectrum

1. Estimate size distribution | 2. Calculate estimated particle size | 3. Calculate error in particle size | 4. Correct estimated distribution | 5. Repeat 1-4 until error is minimized | 6. Minimum error distribution is best fit

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