Knowledge Center

Sodium alginate, the sodium salt of alginic acid, is a polysaccharide harvested from algae, specifically brown seaweeds. Due to its similar function to cellulose in plants, sodium alginate possesses a structural integrity which results in a viscous gum that forms when it interacts with and absorbs water. Because of this, sodium alginate lends itself to applications in the food industry where it thickens solutions, dehydrates and/or expands upon the presence of water, or serves as a protective gel or coating for drug delivery. To produce these end products, manufacturers and researchers must be able to identify and relate the physical properties of sodium alginate samples with specific molecular properties, such as molecular weight, intrinsic viscosity, and molecular size, that are appropriate for each application. As such, the accurate analysis and molecular weight characterization of sodium alginate is of paramount importance.

Products:

OMNISEC system

Date:

March 23 2015

Language:

English

Using real-time spectroscopic technology with appropriate calibration modeling, acid and water additions can be more closely controlled to optimize the agglomeration and heap leaching processes. Real-time spectroscopic technology is now available for installation directly over the conveyor belt feeding the agglomeration process for copper production. Both the ASD QualitySpec® 7000 over-the-conveyor analyzer and the TerraSpec® 4 line of mineral analyzers provide valuable real-time information using fast, reliable measurements to feed data back into the process for better decision-making and cost savings by minimizing acid costs, and maximizing metal yield, with multiple constituents monitored simultaneously through one instrument or system.

Products:

ASD range

Date:

April 22 2019

Language:

English

Accurate field spectral reflectance measurements are important in the calibration and validation of airborne and space-borne hyperspectral and multispectral imaging data. The ASD FieldSpec® 4 instrument was designed with these requirements in mind. However, even the best instrument can deliver inaccurate data if the measurements are not properly carried out. This document discusses techniques for making quality field-spectral measurements.

Products:

ASD FieldSpec range

Date:

March 23 2015

Language:

English

The preferred orientation of crystallites constituting polycrystalline solid materials such as metals, ceramics or composites significantly influences the intrinsic properties of the respective solid. In material sciences this preferred orientation is commonly known as texture and describes the orientation of all crystallites in a sample with respect to a reference frame defined by the sample orientation. Using X-ray diffraction (XRD) the texture of a sample is usually measured using the approach developed by Schulz (1949) where the intensity of certain (hkl) reflections is measured as a function of the sample orientation. This is conventionally done by rotating (ϕ) and tilting the sample in axial plane (𝜒). Hence, point focus optics as well as an Eulerian cradle are required. In contrast to the conventional Schulz-technique, in the ω-texture approach different sample tilts in the equatorial plane are accessed by applying a ω-offsett to the goniometer while keeping the sample horizontal and rotating it in ϕ (Fig. 1). Therefore ω-texture allows measurements of complete pole figures in line focus without the need for an Eulerian cradle and point focus optics.

Products:

Empyrean

Date:

August 23 2019

Language:

English

Although there are more than ten known chromium minerals, only one is a source of commercial importance. This mineral is known as chromite and has the theoretical composition FeCr2O4 containing 68 % of chromic oxide (Cr2O3), in which the proportions of Mg2+, Fe2+ and Cr3+, Al3+, Fe3+ may vary considerably. The main product generated by chromite is ferrochrome, a major player in the steel industry. In particular the stainless steel industry uses more than 90 % of the world’s chromite output. The mining and steel industries must assess the quality of the chromite ore to optimize the grade of their stainless steel production. As a result, the chemical analyses of the chromite ore as well as its final and waste products are mandatory. Metal analysis traditionally uses AA or ICP-OES to measure the metal contents in the ores and industrial products. However, the traditional dissolution method for chromite and ferrochrome is a multi-step, multi-acid digestion which requires the use of HNO3, HF and HClO4 and can take between 1 to 3 hours. Knowing the risks associated with the use of HF and HClO4, many laboratories look for alternative methods to obtain full dissolution of their samples while optimizing their uptime and productivity. As will be demonstrated, sodium peroxide fusions are a quick, safe and efficient alternative for the dissolution of these specific samples.

Products:

Claisse TheOx Advanced

Date:

March 23 2015

Language:

English