Delta 8 allows the surface activity of compounds to be characterized with unparalleled speed. Standard format 96-well microtiter plates are used for the measurement; this makes adaptation to the pipetting robot easier. The measuring time for a 96-well microtiter plate is less than two minutes – this means that up to 1600 compounds can be investigated in under eight hours using robot-supported sample preparation. The volume per well is only 50µl, so that only minimal amounts of sample liquid are required. Delta 8 is completely computer-controlled and automated. The built-in cleaning unit cleans the measuring probes automatically before each measuring cycle. Delta 8 is the ideal tool for comprehensive surfactant characterization in High Throughput mode.

The proverbial last drop that causes the glass to overflow – the best way of preventing the overflow is by not allowing the glass to become so full. The new "Extended CMC" measuring method for the determination of the critical micelle concentration works on this principle: Two dosing units are used instead of the single unit normally used. The second is used to aspirate off the added volume immediately after mixing. This means that, in conventional CMC measurement, the glass no longer overflows - this is prevented by the LabDesk software. However, the measurable concentration range was previously limited by the capacity of the measuring vessel used, and it was even possible to miss the CMC by incorrectly estimating the required concentration range. In the "Extended CMC" method the accessible concentration range is increased many times over, so that the CMC is always determined – a huge plus for proper routine surfactant studies.

A new member of the KRÜSS tensiometer family is the K100SF which is intended for particularly sensitive measurements. This means that the K100SF is ideally suitable for determining contact angles on very small structures such as, for example, natural and artificial fibers as well as glass and carbon fibers. In addition, its use in standard applications is possible without any problems because of its wide measuring range and robustness. The rapid dynamics of the instrument allow the measuring times to be considerably reduced without any loss of accuracy. Measurements are made fully automatical and GLP-conform by using the KRÜSS LabDesk™ software. Integrated evaluation methods and an easily understood user guidance system ensure reliable results in a very short time.

The tilting table is an important and well-liked accessory for the DSA10. For the characterization of hydrophobic coatings in the sanitary sector or in studies on the wetting behavior of pesticides the contact angle plays a decisive role for the particular application. In addition, by using the tilting table method both the advancing and receding contact angles can be determined simultaneously. This accessory has also been adapted for use with the DSA100, which was presented in the previous Newsletter. It now includes important safety features such as an emergency stop button and a locking device for the zero position. The locking device for the zero position has proved to be particularly useful when "normal" measurements are to be carried out. The flexibility and the accurate control of the different tilt angles are retained, both as regards to their position and to their speed.