Description
The Delta-8 is the only surface tension plate reader in the market. It can determine the CMC (critical micelle concentration) of a surfactant up to one hundred times faster than with conventional tensiometers.
Surface tension is measured by our proprietary DyneProbe which is ultracompact and requires no correction factors, as usually found with rings and plates. DyneProbes works also with cationic surface active agents.
The Delta-8 uses standard size detection plates and conventional dispensing systems. Each well can be charged with individual samples or in the case of CMC determinations with aliquots of solution of different concentration.
Before every run, the DyneProbes are heated using the Kibron DyneClean furnace. The bottom end of each probe is brought into contact onto a (very) hot surface. Upon contact, the tip of the probe is heated to around 600 °C. This ensures consistent and repeatably clean surfaces. Alternatively, or as a complimentary method the probes can be dipped in a washing cassette containing the appropriate cleaning solutions.
A typical CMC determination consists of:
1: Dispensing aliquots of solution:
Liquid handling is done using multichannel handheld pipettes or by a pipetting robot.
2: Probe cleaning:
The DyneProbes are heated to red hot to burn off all contaminants.
3: Immersion and withdrawal:
The DyneProbes are positioned above a row of 8 wells and immersed gently. The force on the plate is measured continuously (400 times/s) and upon withdrawal the surface tension is determined.
4: Analysis:
Up to 96 data points can be acquired in around 3 minutes. These are automatically logged to a PC and the CMC is calculated by our analytical CMCeeker software.
