HIGH-RESOLUTION PARTICLE-SIZE ANALYSIS FROM NANOMETERS TO MICRONS

Modern disc centrifuge technology has extended the range of application of sedimentation particle size analysis to include the submicron region. An overall size range of approximately 10 nm to 100 mum is now accessible. The principles of both the disc centrifuge photosedimentometer, which employs optical detection with full Mie light scattering corrections, and the X-ray disc centrifuge are described. Examples of their application to a variety of samples are given to illustrate the performance characteristics of the instruments including a direct comparison of resolving power with that of the laser diffraction technique.