The surface area of a material is, in many cases, as important as the chemical properties of that material and can impact many aspects of a material’s performance. This is because the interface of the material influences how solids behave in the presence of other materials—whether they are gases, liquids, or other solids.

In different applications, this can impact varying properties and results. For example, in the pharmaceutical lab, shelf life, stability, dissolution and efficacy of powders and tablets can be altered. In battery research, powder surface area influences electrode performance and the fabrication process, as well as the electrolyte interaction and electrochemical stability of many types of batteries.

Other impacted research areas include:

  • the rheological properties and hiding powers of pigments, paints and coatings
  • the ability of materials like catalysts, adsorbents, filtration materials and air separation products to react in the designed application
  • the creation and performance of ceramics used in applications ranging from dinner plates and dental implants to electronics
  • the refinement of oil products

Push button = quick results

Measuring specific surface area through gas adsorption is a common technique used in many settings, especially ceramics, batteries, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, minerals and catalysts. Essentially, the technique is ideal for any material in powder form that may benefit from surface area analysis. HORIBA Instruments has just released a new series of surface area analyzers that provides convenience, fast measurement speed, and low cost-per-analysis for these materials and more.

With the push of a button, the new SA-9650 series of surface area analyzers allows quick single or multi-point surface area measurements using the robust flowing gas (dynamic) technique to acquire gas adsorption and desorption data. Once acquired, the information is then used to calculate total surface area utilizing the BET method.

Utilization of the flowing gas technique enables the instrument’s fast surface area measurement. The speed of the results—compared with other approaches—is helpful in production, QA/QC environments or high-throughput screening.

Housed in a completely redesigned cabinet, the SA-9650 is built to provide safe and easy access to the prep and test stations. The analyzer can be controlled using the built-in microcomputer, keyboard, and an LCD display, or can be controlled by any Windows PC via a USB connection. The electronics and hardware carry the CE mark. Additionally, enhanced software allows the user to create reusable Method Files with intuitive graphics using guided on-screen preparation information.

Single and three station models are available, allowing up to three simultaneous surface area measurements at once. For single-point measurements, analysis takes 15 minutes; for multi-point measurements, analysis takes 45 minutes. In both instances, results can be viewed immediately after measurement.