New x-ray source   

Rigaku Innovative Technologies from The Woodlands, Texas, US, and PANalytical have jointly developed a new high-brilliance micro focus x-ray source. The new source is a complete, turnkey x-ray beam module, consisting of a high-performance x-ray optic designed and manufactured by Rigaku, factory-integrated and tested with a sealed microfocus tube and generator for PANalytical.    

The source doubles the usable x-ray flux compared with currently available technology, and the focal dimension of the micro focus tube is 20 m. The micro focus x-ray source can be integrated in diffraction sources with applications in protein structure determination, semiconductor metrology and determination of nanoparticle size distributions and shape functions for research for drug delivery systems.   

info@rigaku.com   

Spectrometer with high image quality    

Horiba Jobin Yvon of Stanmore, UK, has launched the iHR550 imaging spectrometer.   The iHR550 has a focal length of 0.55metres and offers the ability to perform multi-track experiments with up to 20 fibre inputs. Incorrect and re-diffracted spectra are eliminated using an asymmetric Czerny-Turner design in conjunction with an on-axis grating drive system.    

Built as a single-piece cast aluminium housing, the iHR550 has two entrance and two exit ports available, with each exit port configurable for use with either an array detector, such as a charge-coupled device, or with a slit for use with a photomultiplier.   

info@jobinyvon.co.uk   

No more oil baths   

Radleys of Saffron Walden, UK, has introduced its new Heat-On heating block range for round-bottomed flasks from 10ml to   three litres in volume.   Designed to operate with all makes of leading stirring hotplate the blacks enable safe and clean heating of one or two round-bottomed flasks.   

Heat-On heats up and cools down rapidly and also features a deep well shape which maximises the heating area and avoids cracking of flasks.   All Heat-On blocks come coated with a fluoropolymer coating that resists a wide range of chemicals, aids cleaning, improves heating and durability.   

sales@radleys.co.uk   

Cool chemistry   

Asynt of Cambridge, UK, has launched DrySyn COOL to allow chemists to heat and cool reactions safely within one block. It is particularly designed for cool chemistry, providing   an alternative to ice baths and bulky glass-jacketed reaction vessels.   

DrySyn has a temperature range from -30°C to +150°C, with sensitive control in the -20°C to -10°C range compared with standard dry ice baths. It can accommodate standard round-bottomed flasks from 50 to 1000ml. The DrySyn COOL increases the ability to run unsupervised reactions overnight.   DrySyn COOL can be used with any laboratory circulator   or chiller system, and the reaction vessels can be changed within seconds without expensive connecting hoses and valves. 

sales@asynt.com   

Measuring CO₂in fizzy drinks   

Thermo Electron Corporation, of Waltham, Massachusetts, US, has introduced the CrystalVision CO₂ sensor, which is designed to measure precisely CO₂ concentrations in carbonated beverages such as beer, soda and carbonated water.    The CrystalVision CO₂ sensor uses infrared radiation and attenuated total reflectance (ATR), ensuring accurate, real-time measurement.    

The sensor operates continuously and can withstand Clean in Place (CIP) cycles, providing continuous data that can be used to increase throughput. Because the sensor is not blinded by CIP, it can monitor the CIP cycle, resulting in increased profits through natural resource savings and reduced waste.   Using the latest infrared technology, the sensor only monitors 'true CO₂' and is not affected by pressure spikes or extraneous gases, such as dissolved oxygen or nitrogen.    

The CrystalVision CO₂ sensor is completely solid state; and aside from periodic calibration, is virtually maintenance free. This allows beverage manufacturers to operate the sensor continuously without the high replacement costs typical in conventional sensors, of diaphragms, filters or membranes.   

New oven for faster GC    

The Clarus 600 series gas chromatograph (GC) from Perkin-Elmer of Wellesley, Massachusetts, US, contains a redesigned oven which minimises injection-to-injection time, enabling any laboratory to shorten its cycle times without modifying methods or compromising results'.   The new oven can cool from 450 to 50 °C in approximately two minutes, compared with other conventional GC ovens that often require four to six minutes.   

By accelerating the cool-down time, researchers can increase the number of samples analysed per day in their labs by 25 per cent or more depending on the application.   This improved cooling capability also enables the chromatographic separation of very volatile compounds at temperatures lower than those practical on some other commercially available systems today, providing broader analytical capability.