Malvern has announced that it will be presenting a webinar on the basic principles of particle size analysis.

Understanding any analytical technique is vital in providing fundamental building blocks for expansion of knowledge. Within particle size analysis, "The Basic Principles of Particle Size Analysis" document has proven very popular. First written in 1992, this has been Malvern’s most popular document in both digital and paper formats. It has been revised on a couple of occasions.

This webinar will be based on that document and presented by its author, Dr Alan Rawle. The webinar will introduce you to the basics of particle sizing including:

  • Terminology
  • International standards
  • Math – what the important numbers on the analysis report mean
  • Outline of the main techniques (sieves, sedimentation, electrical sensing zone)
  • Other techniques (SAXS, NTA, RMM)
  • Overview of light scattering techniques – in particular, Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and Laser diffraction

The webinar will take place on 16 February at 10:30-11:30 Eastern US and Canada time (GMT-05:00).

Speaker Dr Alan Rawle has more than a quarter of a century’s experience in various aspects of technology. He started his academic life in industrial chemistry, gaining a PhD in supported alloy catalysts where colloidal sized material was the norm. After a career in liquid crystal displays engineering, he moved onto technology transfer and further to electro-optics, lasers, signal processing, and ultimately particle sizing characterisation techniques.

Rawle has also spent many years working on the ISO TC24/SC4 (particle sizing techniques excluding sieving) committee, which has been responsible for such standards as ISO 13320-1 dealing with laser diffraction and ISO 13321 dealing with photon correlation spectroscopy.

Rawle is the Convener of WG10, small angle x-ray scattering methods. After his move from the UK to the USA, he has also become involved in ASTM activities. He is currently CoChair of E 56.02, the characterisation sub-committee of the ASTM E56 committee on nanotechnology and is also a member of 3 other ASTM committees. He and his team are involved in supporting Malvern Instruments’ customers worldwide.