Emerging technology: Characterizing fine powders by particle motion
A newly developed particle analyzer uses laser technology to simultaneously measure both the size distribution and electrostatic charge of any powder.
Powders too fine for sieve analysis have been traditionally analyzed for particle size distribution by instruments that use sedimentation or volumetric measurement. In recent years, several optical particle sizers, which combine sophisticated electronics with light-scattering principles, have also been developed. These optical devices, which count particles and assess their equivalent diameters, are particularly useful for comparing size distributions in samples of the same powder, such as in quality control applications. In addition, optical sizers measure across a broad particle size range.