Volume-8 (12/2004)
To go Beyond Shape Analysis: DSA3
The new KRÜSS software DSA3 for high performance drop shape analysis is based on a revolutionary new and well though-out approach. The design and programming was guided by the ultimate goal to produce a highly flexible, extremely powerful and yet easy-to-use software.
With DSA3 we introduce the advanced "Measurement Templates" (MT). These templates allow the definition and storage of measuring procedures: from simple ones like the determination of static contact angles or interfacial tensions to sophisticated ones like the determination of the hysteresis of contact angle or complex ones like the determination of the surface free energy (SFE) of the total solid sample surface including the mapping of the results. To start a procedure stored as a template you click the mouse just once and you can repeat the procedure as many times as you wish.
The novel and intuitive MT-wizard helps to generate and edit these templates. The new MT-explorer on the other hand allows to easily administrate the templates in a window based file structure. Even user profiles can be created easily and rapidly: Depending on the user rights measuring procedures can be created and edited or just selected and executed.
Another mile stone of the DSA3 software is the new result data base which is administrated through the "DSA result explorer". Here, you can visualize the measurement results and prepare the measurement reports and presentations. Also, this is the market place for the import and export of data in 14 different formats among which you find MS Excel, MS Word, PDF and HTML.
Measurement reports and presentations are based on templates which can be modified in a straight forward manner using the graphical "Report designer". As an example, your measurement reports may carry your company's logo. In any case, they will always have a personal touch.
Stay tuned to get to know more about the numerous, novel features and applications of our fabulous DSA3 shortly.
News from the laboratory: LabDesk 3.1
New measuring methods and fulfilled wishes of customers – Our LabDesk team presents a bundle of enrichments for the KRÜSS universal tensiometer software.
The range of possible measuring probe geometries for our tensiometers is now extended: Apart from the ring and plate method, it is now possible to use the rod method for surface tension and interfacial tension (IFT) measurements. The IFT method is extended by another feature: The tare value of the measuring probe in the lighter phase can be stored and used for further measurements – thereby one necessary step in the procedure can be avoided.
The behavior of surfactants at the liquid-liquid interface is totally different from that at the surface – thus the tendency to form micelles is altered. Therefore, an interesting application is the CMC measurement of interfacial tensions, another new method of version 3.1.
The sedimentation method used to be an auxiliary application only but has now grown to a true scientific method. Thanks to the new and fully integrated evaluation wizard, the sedimentation method allows the determination of the particle size distribution of a sediment – an important tool for the characterization of dispersions.
Furthermore the data management and report functions are extended – there are numerous small advancements now resulting in a huge quality leap and even further improved ease of use. Examples are the display of measurement results of various databases, extension of regression lines to the coordinate axes, indicating and masking of outliers, and many more...
Some improvements of the new LabDesk version originate from suggestions of our customers – thank you very much for all the competent feedback!
The LabDesk version 3.1 comes with an attractive price tag. And in case you purchased LabDesk in the last 12 months, you will receive the update free of charge – please get in contact with us.
Air Conditioning for Your Samples
ue to our advancement in developing contact angle instruments, the accuracy of measurements has vastly increased, like with our DSA100. This increased accuracy in turn requires a well-defined and reproducible sample environment.
Measurements at high temperature and pressure can be performed with KRÜSS instruments since a long time. However, in most applications room conditions are required where fluctuation of temperature and humidity leads to fluctuation of the measurement results.
Up to now the humidity has been neglected in most cases and thus its impact on the result of a measurement could not be determined quantitatvely. Since with a change of temperature the relative humidity also changes, it was impossible to conduct a set of measurements at various temperatures and constant relative humidity.
A solution to this problem comes through an innovation from KRÜSS: the Humidity chamber. This chamber allows to independently and precisely control temperature and humidity over a wide measuring range. Thus, it is now possible to determine the influence of temperature and humidty on the contact angle quantitatively. Last but not least, an increased humidity in the chamber minimizes the evaporation of a sample which is of paramount importance for long-term measurements at high temperatures.