- Establishment of the centrifugal field-flow fractionation system with centrifugal acceleration over 15000 G for the first time in the world -
Researcher) KATO Haruhisa, Senior Researcher, Particle Measurement Research Group, Research Institute for Material and Chemical Measurement
- Classification of a wide size range of particles through stable, high centrifugal acceleration (15900 G) using an unique sealed mechanism of high-speed rotation
- Precise design of flow field and a high centrifugal field enable high resolution of several nanometers and halve the classification time
- The established system will be able to contribute to precise material design and high-precision analysis of material size distribution
Centrifugal field-flow fractionation system has enabled fine classification of materials in a wide size range
In developing high-performance battery materials and managing semiconductor device manufacturing processes, precise material size control on a several nanometers level is required. This has raised interest in size-based precise material classification techniques. Size of materials has also gained importance in materials regulations, such as REACH regulations on nanomaterials introduced in 2020. Materials developing companies, analytical companies, and regulatory authorities alike require high-precision techniques for size measurement to ensure appropriate management of materials. This has called for high-precision measurement techniques surpassing current methods that provide only low-precision information on size distribution.
A novel centrifugal field-flow fractionation system capable of classifying particles of a wide size range from 10 nm to 40 µm was constructed in collaboration with Shimadzu Corporation.
Recent years have seen a greater need for precise size evaluation and high-precision size classification. This has been driven by progress in practical application of techniques and regulations focused on size, such as adoption of semiconductor device patterning techniques controlled at a several nanometers level and regulation of nanomaterials due to concerns about potential risks from their small size. Field-flow fractionation has attracted attention in Europe in recent years as a regulatory evaluation technique because it enables classification of particles of a wide size range.
The researcher and collaborating researchers constructed an original rotor rotation mechanism that enables both sealing and high-speed rotation. The mechanism was introduced in a novel centrifugal field-flow fractionation system. The system can produce a stable, high centrifugal field of 15900 G, compared to the field of 2700 G by existing European equipment. Precise separation channel design has also enabled high-resolution classification in half the usual time, which enables the new system to offer fast and high-precision size classification.
The established system and related techniques are expected to contribute to precise material design and high-precision analysis of material size distribution at the stage of adopting production techniques and ensuring regulatory compliance.