Automated Mercury Porosimeters

AutoPore™ IV Series

Fast and Accurate Porosimety Analyses

The term “porosimetry” is often used toinclude the measurements of pore size, volume, distribution, density, and otherporosity-related characteristics of a material.Porosity is especially important in under-standing the formation, structure, andpotential use of many substances. Theporosity of a material affects its physicalproperties and, subsequently, its behavior inits surrounding environment. The adsorptionand permeability, strength, density, andother factors influenced by a substance’sporosity determine the manner and fashionin which it can be appropriately used.

The mercury porosimetry analysis techniqueis based on the intrusion of mercury into aporous structure under stringently controlledpressures. Besides offering speed, accuracy,and a wide measurement range, mercuryporosimetry permits you to calculatenumerous sample properties such as poresize distributions, total pore volume, totalpore surface area, median pore diameter,and sample densities (bulk and skeletal).

The AutoPore IV Series MercuryPorosimeters can determine a broader poresize distribution (0.003 to 360 micrometers)more quickly and accurately than othermethods. These instruments are enhancedwith features that enable them to moreaccurately gather the data needed to charac-terize the porous structure of solid materials.They also offer new data reduction andreporting choices that provide more infor-mation about pore geometry and the fluidtransport characteristics of the material.

AutoPore IV Series Automated Mercury Porosimeters

Wide Variety of Benefits

• Controlled pressure can increase inincrements as fine as 0.05 psia from 0.2to 50 psia. This allows detailed data to becollected in the macropore region.

• A quick-scan mode allows a continuouspressure increase approximating equilib-rium and providing faster screening. Thehigh repeatability and reproducibility ofthis method by the AutoPore means thatsmall, but significant, differencesbetween samples will be detected. Youcan use this technique to screen a samplefor conformity to specification becauserepeatability remains high.

• High-resolution (sub-microliter) measurement of intrusion/extrusion volumes produces extraordinary precisionallowing the development of tighter samplespecifications, improved productionprocesses, and high-quality research data.

• A choice of correction routine for base-line (automatic, differential, or manual)produces greater accuracy by correctingfor compressibility and thermal effectscaused by high pressure.

• Choice of pressure ramping methods letsyou choose the scanning technique forhigh-speed or on-demand results, or equilibration techniques for more accurateresults with greater detail.

• The instrument allows the user toprogram data collection using a minimum number of data points.However, during intervals of unex-pectedly large amounts of intrusion,the AutoPore will automatically collect additional data points.

• Choose between three data plot routines constructed of collected datapoints, a continuous curve plotted frominterpolated data, or a combination ofpoints and curves.

• A variety of pore volume, pore area, and pore size plots is available as wellas the ability to calculate total intrusionvolume, total pore (surface) area,median pore diameter, average porediameter, bulk density, and apparent(skeletal) density.

Four Models

The AutoPore IV Series is available in fourmodels to best match the needs of individualquality assurance and research labs.AutoPore IV 9520: 2 high-pressure (60,000psia maximum pressure) and 4 low-pressure analysis ports AutoPore IV 9510: 1 high-pressure (60,000psia maximum pressure) and 2 low-pressure analysis ports AutoPore IV 9505: 2 high-pressure (33,000psia maximum pressure) and 4 low-pressure analysis ports AutoPore IV 9500: 1 high-pressure (33,000psia maximum pressure) and 2 low-pressure analysis ports

Typical AutoPore IV Applications

Pharmaceuticals – Porosity and surfacearea play major roles in the purification,processing, blending, tableting, and packagingof pharmaceutical products as well as adrug’s useful shelf life, its dissolution rate,and bioavailability.

Ceramics – Pore area and porosity affectthe curing and bonding of greenware andinfluence strength, texture, appearance, anddensity of finished goods.

Adsorbents – Knowledge of pore area,total pore volume, and pore size distributionis important for quality control of industrialadsorbents and in the development of sepa-ration processes. Porosity and surface areacharacteristics determine the selectivity ofan adsorbent.

Catalyst – The active pore area and porestructure of catalysts influence productionrates. Limiting the pore size allows onlymolecules of desired sizes to enter and exit,creating a selective catalyst that will produceprimarily the desired product.

Paper – The porosity of print media coatingis important in offset printing where itaffects blistering, ink receptivity, and ink holdout.

Medical Implants – Controlling the porosityof artificial bone allows it to imitate realbone that the body will accept and allowgrowth of tissue.

Electronics – By selecting high surfacearea material with carefully designed porenetworks, manufacturers of super-capacitorscan minimize the use of costly raw materialswhile providing more exposed surface areafor storage of charge.

Aerospace – Surface area and porosity ofheat shields and insulating materials affectweight and function.

Fuel Cells – Fuel cell electrodes requirecontrolled porosity with high surface areato produce adequate power density.

Geoscience – Porosity is important ingroundwater hydrology and petroleumexploration because it relates to the quantityof fluid that a structure can contain as wellas how much effort will be required toextract it.

Filtration – Pore size, pore volume, poreshape, and pore tortuosity are of interest tofilter manufacturers. Often, pore shape hasa more direct effect upon filtration thanpore size because it strongly correlates withfiltration performance and fouling.

Construction Materials – Diffusion, permeability, and capillary flow play important roles in the degradation processes in concrete, cement, and other construction materials.

AutoPore IV Advantages

• Ability to measure pore diameters from 0.003 to 360 μm

• Available with two low- and one high-pressure ports or four low- and two high-pressureports for increased sample throughput

• Available in 33,000 psi or 60,000 psi models

• Quiet, high-pressure generating system

• Upgradeable without the need for more lab space

• Enhanced data reduction package; includes tortuosity, permeability, compressibility,pore-throat ratio, fractal dimension, Mayer-Stowe particle size, and more

• Equilibration by sample-controlled, rate of intrusion

• Operates in scanning and time- or rate-equilibrated modes

• Collects extremely high-resolution data; better than 0.1 μL for mercury intrusion andextrusion volume

• Controlled evacuation prevents powder fluidization

Operating Software

The AutoPore offers various options forobtaining important sample information asquickly as possible and for presenting thedata in a format which you can design.Analysis options include choice of analysisvariables, equilibration techniques, and pressure points at which data are collected.After operating conditions for the instrumenthave been chosen, they can be stored as atemplate and then reapplied to other samples,saving time and reducing the potential forhuman error.

A selection of report options lets you cus-tomize many aspects of the data pages. Youcan select a specific range of data to be usedin calculations; arrange columns of tabulardata; select cumulative, incremental, or differential plots; scale the X-axis to displayin either logarithmic or linear format for pore size; report actual or interpolated data;and select data presentation units such aspsia or MPa, diameter or radius, and micrometers or Angstroms.

Broad Choice of Analysis and Report Parameters

Data Reduction

The AutoPore IV generates tabular andgraphical reports of percentage pore volumevs. diameter, and a summary report of per-centage porosity in user-defined size ranges.The user has the ability to average severalanalyses and to use the ‘resulting average’analysis as a reference with which to comparesubsequent analyses. A standard, single,user-defined analysis may also be enteredand used for subsequent comparisons. SPCreports are available with collected data oruser-defined parameters. In addition to thestandard data reduction methods, theAutoPore IV Series also provides the following:

• Mayer-Stowe Particle Size - Reports equivalent spherical size distributions

• Pore Tortuosity - Characterizes the efficiency of the diffusion of fluidsthrough a porous material

• Material Compressibility - Quantifies the collapse or compression of the sample material

• Pore Number Fraction - Reports the number of pores in different size classes

• Pore-throat Ratio - Reports the ratio ofpore cavities to pore throats at each percent porosity filled value

• Pore Fractal Dimensions - Quantifies thefractal geometry of a material

• Permeability - Reports the ability of thesample to transmit fluid

The AutoPore software

includes a full report system

for producing publication-

quality graphics and

user-specified reports.

The pore size distribution of two alumina

samples are overlaid to provide a

comparison of pore structure.

Penetrometer Characteristics

The penetrometer consists of a sample cupbonded to a metal-clad, precision-bore,glass capillary stem. The sample is placed inthe sample cup; during analysis, mercuryfills the cup and capillary stem. As pressureon the filled penetrometer increases, mercuryintrudes into the sample’s pores, beginningwith those pores of largest diameter. Themercury moves from the capillary stemresulting in a capacitance change betweenthe mercury column inside the stem and themetal cladding on the outer surface of thestem. The AutoPore detects very slightchanges in capacitance (equivalent to a dif-ference of less than 0.1 microliter of mercury)so extraordinary resolution is achieved.

Micromeritics also offers a large selectionof penetrometer bulbs, volumes, stems, andclosures designed to fit most sample forms,shapes, porosity, and quantity. The betterthe match between the sample, its porosity,and the measurement range of the samplecell, the more precise the results.

Safety Systems

The AutoPore features several levels ofmechanical and electro-mechanical safety devices:

To request a quote or additional product

information, visit Micromeritics’ web site at

www.micromeritics.com, contact your local

Micromeritics sales representative, or our

Customer Service Department at (770) 662-3636.

The extensive report

system includes pore

structure calculations

including Cavity-to-

Throat Size Ratio,

Fractal Dimension,

Material Compressibility,

and Statistical Process

Control reporting.

The material compressibility is easily calculated and

may be reported both graphically and in tabular form

using the AutoPore report system.

A convenient data summary

is automatically generated

with each sample reported.

Additional pore structure

calculations are included

in the AutoPore software.

• The computer will not accept keyboardinstructions to overpressurize the system.

• The high-pressure system is mechanicallyunable to generate unsafe pressures.

• A circuit stops the generation of pressurein the event of a failure in the computer.

• The operating specifications of the pressure systems (low = 50 psia, high = 60,000 psia) are well below theactual designed safety limits.

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