Sorption Analysis Testing (Allentown Lab)

Intertek Allentown offers customizable sorption analysis to determine the characterization of samples such as polymers, nanoparticles, adsorbents and catalysts. The resulting comprehensive data includes:

• Porosity
• Skeletal density
• Surface area
• Pore volume
• Pore size distribution
• Chemisorption
• Gas/Vapor uptake
• Permeation and Transmission Rates
• Diffusion

In the sorption lab, materials are exposed to gases, vapors, and liquids to measure how much uptake of the adsorbate there is on the adsorbent and how quickly equilibration occurs.

Gas/Vapor Testing
The weight increase or decrease of solid materials can be measured when exposed to gases and vapors. Sorption analysis of this data yields properties such as:

• Porosity
• Total pore volume
• Catalyst activity
• Metal dispersion
• Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) Surface Area

Diffusion information can also be obtained by measuring the rate of weight change.

Transmission Rate Testing
Knowing the transmission rate of gasses and vapors through film or package samples is important in the development of many materials.  At Intertek Allentown, oxygen and water vapor transmission rates (OTR and WVTR) can be measured through films of a variety of material types over a range of temperatures and relative humidity conditions.  Bottles and packages can also be tested at ambient conditions for oxygen transmission and at ambient temperature and 100% relative humidity for water vapor transmission.  The transmission rate of a range of other gases (i.e. CO₂, H₂, N₂, CH₄, air, etc.) through film samples can be tested at ambient and elevated temperatures and 0% relative humidity.

Additional Expertise

The Allentown team also has the expertise to answer questions or address any issues you may have regarding sorption within the following industries:

Chemical & Petroleum
How effective is my catalyst and how can I improve its performance?
Will this adsorbent be effective in purifying my gas stream?
Is my material effective for gas storage? 
What can I do to improve my catalyst performance?
Is the precious metal in my catalyst well-dispersed and available to catalyze my reaction?

Packaging, Coatings, & Pharmaceuticals
How quickly will gas permeate through a material?
Will a film maintain the freshness of a vegetable?
What can I do to make my coating dry faster?
How much water will my sample pick up, at different relative humidity conditions?

Intertek’s sorption analysis capabilities and expertise provide total quality assurance throughout our customers’ full product lifecycle.

Case Study: Evaluating the Barrier Properties of a Membrane