Advanced materials and nanomaterials

BET

Gas adsorption technique (BET method) for determining the specific surface area of materials.

Applications:

• Catalysts
• Nanomaterials
• High surface area powders

DLS (Dynamic Light Scattering)

DLS is a technique used to measure the size of particles in suspension or molecules in solution, typically in the nanometric range.

It works by analysing fluctuations in the intensity of light scattered by particles undergoing Brownian motion. From these fluctuations, the instrument determines:

• The diffusion coefficient of the particles
• The hydrodynamic diameter (Dh), calculated using the Stokes–Einstein equation
• The polydispersity index (PDI)

It is widely used to characterise nanoparticles, proteins, polymers, micelles, liposomes and, in general, any species dispersed in a liquid medium.

Zeta Potential

Zeta potential is the electric potential that develops at the shear plane of a particle suspended in a liquid medium. It represents the particle’s effective surface charge and the electrostatic stability of the dispersion, and is a key indicator of colloidal stability.

The instrument measures zeta potential via laser Doppler electrophoresis (LDE/ELS) and calculates electrophoretic mobility, from which zeta potential is derived using models such as Smoluchowski or Hückel, depending on the conductivity of the medium.

HPLC

High performance liquid chromatography for the separation, identification and quantification of organic compounds.

Applications:

• Analysis of active ingredients
• Degradation and stability studies
• Analysis of additives and contaminants
• Support for nanomedicine studies

UV-Vis Spectrophotometer

A technique based on measuring the absorption of ultraviolet and visible radiation by a sample, useful for qualitative and quantitative analysis of chemical species in solution or dispersion.

• Applications:

• Quantitative determination of chemical species in solution
• Study of the optical properties of nanoparticles and dispersed materials
• Monitoring of chemical reactions and degradation processes

Spectrofluorimetry

A spectroscopic technique that measures the light emitted by fluorescent species after excitation at a specific wavelength, particularly suited for analysing low-concentration compounds and characterising optically active materials.

• Applications:

• Analysis of fluorescent compounds, even at low concentrations
• Characterisation of optically active materials and fluorescent probes
• Studies of interaction between molecules and dispersed systems

Chemiluminescence

A technique for determining nitrogen oxides (NOx) and other reactive gases through light emission.

Applications:

• Air quality monitoring

Testing of purification devices