In addition to the Micromeritics
ASAP 2020's ability to determine surface area and porosity, the instrument is
now available with new and enhanced vapor and water vapor options.
This added versatility provides researchers and formulators the capability
to characterize the surface area and porosity of materials both before and after
exposure to vapors or moisture, a powerful method for understanding the nature
of materials. These options allow vapor or moisture isotherms to be collected
from subambient to 40 °C.
The ASAP 2020 vapor option provides an ideal solution for detailed characterization
of materials using aggressive probes including olefins, aromatics, and other
volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The vapor accessory is easily added to installed
instruments or can be pre-installed on new instruments. The accessory includes
a vapor source with perfluoroelastomer seals and a temperature controller for
the ASAP 2020 analysis manifold. The ASAP 2020 vapor option may also be ordered
with enhanced corrosion-resistant wetted materials. This option enables the
ASAP 2020 to characterize large samples including tablets, pellets, granulated
food, powders, and desiccant packs and is compatible with a wide range of vapors
including benzene, toluene, xylene, ethers, aldehydes, alcohols, and amines.
The ASAP 2020 water vapor option is an ideal tool for performing a detailed
characterization of pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, and many other materials
that sorb moisture. The accessory includes a temperature-controlled analysis
manifold and vapor source. Unlike traditional gravimetric moisture analysis,
the ASAP 2020 water vapor option allows the user to characterize large samples
such as tablets, pellets, granulated food, powders, and desiccant packs. The
moisture adsorption isotherm may be used to understand the water activity of
a material which may influence chemical stability, microbial activity, flow
properties, compaction, hardness, and dissolution rates.