Behind the analyses, the faces of FILAB expertise
Characterization of powders, what is it all about?
Hello, my name is Thomas Gautier. I have been Head of the Materials Department at FILAB for six years, and today I am going to talk to you about powder characterization and share my experiences with you.
Hello Thomas, can you explain in a few words what powder characterization involves?
“Hello, to put it simply, powder characterization allows us to determine various parameters of a powder. I will explain these different parameters and, above all, which techniques can be associated with each of them.
Firstly, the chemical parameters that can be determined by:
- ICP, with this technique we will be able to perform elemental characterization or identify impurities.
- The SEM-EDX can also be used to identify the main composition of a powder, or to highlight chemical or morphological heterogeneities in a powder.
- Or DRX to identify the crystalline phases present in a powder.
- …
Powder characterization also makes it possible to determine the physical parameters of a powder, such as:
- the particle size that can be determined by laser particle size analysis or optical microscope (OM) or even by scanning electron microscope (SEM)
- the morphological criteria, which are also evaluated by MO or SEM
- it is still possible to determine the flowability criteria of a powder or its tapped, apparent, or true density
- the specific surface area BET method (Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller)
- …
And the last parameter is thermal: during formulation, raw materials may be heated, and to determine these important parameters, we can use:
- Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC),
- thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), coupled or not with FTIR for gas identification
- or Pyrolysis coupled with mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS). »
Can you now explain why it is important for manufacturers to carry out this type of characterization?
This type of characterization can be performed on finished products in powder form. It confirms that the product meets specifications, which is important for the proper applicability of the finished product. However, in reality, powder characterization is often performed on raw materials. Once again, this allows the specifications of the raw material to be confirmed or rejected. Indeed, the wrong particle size, for example, can cause formulation or solubility issues, which have a direct impact on the product’s effectiveness.”
What is the latest news from the FILAB laboratory in terms of powder characterization?
“What I can tell you is that we recently purchased a second laser granulometer with the same features as the first one: dry and liquid modes.
We have also invested in a second DRX to meet the increase in demand from our customers for powder characterization and the extension of COFRAC accreditation for hydroxyapatite on medical devices in accordance with ISO 13779, which we hope to obtain in the near future.
The latest news at FILAB in terms of powder characterization is that we were COFRAC-certified for specific surface area and laser particle size analysis, and we have applied for an extension to include helium pycnometry for determining true density.
What are the major challenges facing manufacturers when it comes to powder characterization?
“In terms of powder characterization, there isn’t necessarily a major challenge.
Today, the challenges lie more in characterizing powder at the nanometric level. I am a member of Nano Mesure France and we are working with all stakeholders to harmonize analysis techniques, protocols, and everything related to the characterization of nanomaterials. ”
Thank you, Thomas, for these explanations and your feedback.
