2019-05-23
The ViscoQC 100 and 300 viscometers have been on the market for less than a year, and there is already a fantastic accessory available that opens up new applications for users to exactly control the temperature of their samples. The temperature device called PTD 80 is manufactured at the company headquarters in Graz and allows measurements between 15 and 80 °C with a temperature stability of ±0.1 °C. “As air is used for counter-cooling, the device is highly compact. Our customers not only save space in their quality control laboratories, but also benefit from reduced maintenance compared to state-of-the-art water bath solutions as provided by our competitors”, says product manager Patricia Gejer. The temperature control function is performed by a Peltier temperature device (PTD), a semiconductor component made of metal that changes the temperature when current flows and either cools or heats depending on the direction of current flow.
The temperature device itself is attached to the base of the ViscoQC stand; a centering adapter ensures precise alignment. “All tripods supplied to date are already prepared for the attachment of a PTD 80,” says the product manager. Practically, the electricity for the Peltier element comes from the measuring device, which also controls the accessory part. A flashing LED indicates whether the device is heating or cooling. When the target temperature is reached, the LED shows a continuous white light. Eight different measuring systems with volumes ranging from two to 18.5 milliliters are available for measurement; three of them are new and specially developed for use with the compact, black device. The unique T-Ready function from Anton Paar ensures that measurements are only started if the sample has reached the set temperature.
The measuring repertoire of the two viscometers now includes, for example, analyses of chocolate at a temperature of 40 °C, or the observation of adhesive during curing at a maximum of 80 °C. For the latter application, Anton Paar provides a measuring spindle made of glass to determine the gel time. If the measurement is started at 25 °C and heated to 60 °C, the adhesive solidifies slowly while the viscosity increases dramatically. Finally, the spindle gets stuck in the sample and hence can easily be thrown away afterwards.
The development of the Peltier temperature device PTD 80 started in January 2018. Meanwhile, the great accessory which is assembled in Graz is ready for delivery. With the PTD 80, Anton Paar expands its portfolio as the only supplier on the market that covers the full portfolio from entry-level viscometry to high-end rheometry.