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PATh's Equipment

Thermophysical Properties

NIMA DST 9005 Dynamic Surface Tensiometer
The Nima Surface Tensiometer DST9005 allows the measurement and recording of forces at the gas/liquid and liquid/liquid interfaces. This model is a sophisticated computer controlled instrument that can measure the forces on samples as they are immersed in the test liquid. NIMA DST 9005 tensiometer can operate either with a Pt/Ir Du Noüy ring or with a Wilhelmy plate, both based on force measurements. Moreover, a temperature controllable stage and stirrer agitator are included for precise and repeatable measurements. The thermostatization is carried by means of a double-jacketed cell coupled to an HAAKE F6 bath circulator. The system is equipped with a Pt100 probe that is able to control the temperature of the measurements within ± 0.01 K.

Anton Paar Stabinger Viscometer SVM 3000
The Stabinger measuring principle with Peltier thermostat enables an incomparably wide viscosity and temperature range with a single system. SVM 3000 is quick, compact and energy-saving, versatile in use, with only small amounts of sample and solvents required.

Mathis TCi - Thermal Conductivity
The Mathis TCi is a “one size fits all” thermal conductivity tool. This instrument can test solids, liquids, powders, and pastes by using a new base platform technology developed by Mathis. The solid-state sensor technology, as well as associated electronics and software base modules allow non-destructive testing requiring little to no sample preparation, including testing very small samples (nickel size) to very large (sheet). Testing times are within a few seconds and automated testing remains a key convinience.


Equilibrium Measurements

Isochoric High Pressure Vapour - Liquid Equilibrium Cell
The Top Industrie horizontal hollow stainless steel cylinder closed at one end by a movable piston and one sapphire window at the other end allows the determination of phase diagrams for a wide range of compounds mixtures. A video acquisition system, made up of an endoscope plus a video camera, placed behind the sapphire window, displays on a computer screen the behaviour of the fluid inside the measuring cell. Capable of operate at temperatures up to 150 ºC (by means of a bath circulator) and pressures up to 1500 bar, associated to easy sample preparation (by weight difference), makes this non-destructive testing a very convenient method.

Vapour-liquid Equilibria Apparatus - Vapour Pressure
The vapour-liquid equilibria apparatus is a static system, capable of measuring vapour pressures in the range of (0 – 0.69) MPa (via a Paroscientific Digiquartz 2100A absolute pressure transducer), in the temperature range (253 to 363) K. In the current stage of development, it is suited for measuring vapour pressures of pure condensed phases. In perspective, the apparatus will be upgraded to measure vapour-liquid equilibria of mixtures with non-volatile solutes, in the same pressure and temperature range. A second pressure sensor will allow for the measurements of low vapour pressures.

Liquid-liquid, Solid-liquid Equilibrium Systems
The air bath oven is an hand-made equipment that allows the liquid-liquid equilibration of several systems at different temperatures. The samples are thermostatized directly in an aluminium block with specific holes for 20 mL glass vials. The temperature is maintained within ± 0.01 K by means of a PID temperature controller driven by a calibrated Pt100 (class 1/10). The temperature sensor is directly inserted in the aluminium block to obtain accurate and precise results. In order to achieve temperatures below the room temperature, a Julabo circulator, model F25-HD, is coupled to the overall oven system allowing the passage of a thermostatized fluid flux around the aluminium block.