Particle Size

At Micromeritics, we offer instruments designed for precise particle size analysis, a critical factor in industries ranging from coatings and minerals to pharmaceuticals. This page describes principles of particle size measurement, the advanced techniques we utilize, and how our technology can optimize your research, development, and quality control processes.

What is Particle Size?

Particle size refers to the dimensions of individual particles in a material, typically measured in terms of diameter. Understanding particle size is critical as it influences the physical and chemical properties of the material.
Two techniques available for measuring the particle size are x-ray sedimentation and air permeability.

X-Ray Sedimentation

The X-Ray Sedimentation Technique takes advantage of the natural tendency of particles to separate by size as they settle through a liquid medium. Using the SediGraph, the mass fraction in each size class is determined by the adsorption of soft X-rays. This method produces excellent resolution where the particle size distribution is narrow. Complete particle accountability ensures that all of the introduced sample is accounted for, including fractions below 0.1µm.

Air Permeability

This technique uses the principle of pressure drop across a packed powder bed. Due to differences in powder bulk density, and hence the “porosity” of the bed, average surface area and particle size can be determined as a function of pressure drop and flow rate in accordance with the Kozeny-Carmen equation. The SAS measures particle size in the range of 0.2 µm to 75 µm and has a compression accuracy of less than 0.05 mm. This method produces results that correlate to the established Fisher Sub-Sieve Sizer.

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We provide a comprehensive range of characterization services whether it is the analysis of a single sample, a complex method development or validation, new product assessments, or addressing large-scale manufacturing projects.