Particle analysis

Supporting innovation of particle-based products

With state of the art capability and multidisciplinary expertise, we tailor the analysis of particles to the needs of our clients and provide consultancy on product development and characterisation.

We support manufacturers and companies developing novel particles and nanoparticle-based products, enabling advanced characterisation and quality assurance. An expanding range of properties can be reliably determined for:

• Powders and nano-powders, such as morphology, primary particle size, surface chemistry
• Colloidal suspensions in various liquid media, including hydrodynamic size distribution, agglomeration profile, concentration, surface charge
• Polymer particles, such as size, density and chemistry
• Emulsions, such as size and density
• Biological particles, including size distribution, concentration, surface charge
• Aerosols created from powder liquid suspension, such as aerodynamic size distribution 
• Aerosols created from airborne nanoparticles, such as aerodynamic size distribution, chemical composition

We work extensively with a range of industrial sectors:

• Biotech: for example on bio-functionalised particles for biosensing
• Pharmaceuticals: for example on particle drug delivery systems
• Energy: for example on catalyst nanoparticles
• Cosmetic: for example on metal oxide nanoparticles for cosmetic formulations
• Electronic: for example on semiconductor quantum dots and graphene

We offer consultancy and bespoke service on a comprehensive range of measurements:

• Size, size distribution, agglomeration, density and specific surface area
• Chemistry of particles’ surfaces and coatings, for example elemental composition, thickness, presence of contaminants and charge
• Mechanical properties of individual particles and capsules
• Production of reactive oxygen species
• Stability of dispersions, including sedimentation and agglomeration behavior over time

Available methods include:

Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method (BET), Benchtop Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Centrifugal Photo-Sedimentation (CPS),  Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Electron Microscopy (EM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Laser Diffraction (LD), Particle Tracking Analysis (PTA), Raman Spectroscopy, Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) such as Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Tunable Resistive Pulse Sensing (TRPS) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS).

Don’t see what you are looking for? Our diverse skill set enables us to provide bespoke solutions. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.

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Find out more about NPL’s research on Surface technology