S&T

The sorption capacity of a material is related to its surface chemistry, surface area, and, where applicable, pore size distribution.

Sorption characteristics not only provide information on all of these properties but also deliver critical insights into the performance, lifespan, and reactivity of a material.

Sorption capacity is an important factor across a wide range of industries. The application examples below illustrate in greater detail how Dynamic Vapor Sorption (DVS) technology is used to measure sorption capacity.

Building Materials

The moisture sorption capacity of building materials such as cement, wood, insulation, and textiles has a significant impact on the service life of buildings, as well as on indoor air quality and air-conditioning loads.

Dynamic Vapor Sorption (DVS) technology can be used to measure the sorption capacity of these materials not only for moisture but also for a variety of vapors, including Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and pesticides.

The following application note provides an overview of measurements of moisture sorption in cement, wood, and insulation materials using DVS.

DVS Application Note 104: Vapour Sorption Properties of Building Materials using Gravimetric Sorption Instrumentation – an Overview. [Request a copy]

Pharmaceuticals

Crystalline materials exhibit lower sorption capacity than amorphous materials because excess solvent is lost during the crystallization process.

As a result, the sorption capacity of amorphous powders can be used to evaluate amorphous content by comparison against reference materials.

It is also critical to understand the hygroscopicity and deliquescence of water-soluble substances, as these properties determine formulation stability and have a major impact on pharmaceutical storage and manufacturing processes.

Sorption capacity can also reflect the hydrate formation behavior of pharmaceuticals, which can significantly affect not only the physical stability of the drug but also its pharmacological response in the body.

DVS Application Note 46: Combining Raman Spectroscopy with Gravimetric Vapour Sorption Analysis for Pharmaceutical Materials. [Request a copy]

Personal Care

In the hair care field, the sorption capacity of hair is directly correlated with the degree of fiber damage. In particular, moisture sorption capacity at high relative humidity has become a widely accepted indicator of damage assessment across the industry.

Dynamic Vapor Sorption (DVS) technology is an ideal method for measuring water sorption isotherms of hair, enabling precise analysis of not only sorption capacity but also isotherm hysteresis.

The application note below presents a case study using DVS together with Inverse Gas Chromatography (iGC) to analyze differences in sorption capacity and surface heterogeneity between damaged and undamaged hair.

DVS / iGC-SEA Case Study 616: Determination of Surface Properties of Human Hair by Inverse Gas Chromatography and Dynamic Vapour Sorption. [Request a copy]

VOC Capture

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are emitted from a wide range of materials, including plastics, furniture upholstery, and carpets, and are a known cause of Sick Building Syndrome. To effectively remove such indoor air pollutants, VOC capture materials such as zeolites must possess high sorption capacity.

Dynamic Vapor Sorption (DVS) technology enables direct measurement of VOC sorption — such as methanol uptake in zeolites — even in the presence of moisture under realistic conditions. DVS can also be used to screen more effective sorbents, playing a critical role in addressing issues that may cause respiratory problems, reduced concentration, and other acute discomfort symptoms.

DVS Application Note 65: Impact of Relative Humidity on the Adsorption of Volatile Organic Compounds by Porous Materials – Two Component Sorption Study. [Request a copy]

BET Surface Area and Pore Distribution

The sorption capacity of a material is determined by its surface area and pore size distribution. These two factors play a key role in understanding material behavior and in designing improved products based on that understanding.

Both Dynamic Vapor Sorption (DVS) and Inverse Gas Chromatography (IGC) can be used to measure BET surface area, and the shape of the isotherm can also be used to assess porosity.

When a material is porous, pore size distribution can be calculated from isotherm data using the Kelvin equation.

Application Note 18: Measuring BET Surface Areas using Organic Probe Molecules. [Request a copy] Application Note 37: Hysteresis Effects in Vapour Sorption. [Request a copy]

The sorption capacity of a material is related to its surface chemistry, surface area, and, where applicable, pore size distribution. Sorption characteristics not only provide information on all of these properties but also deliver critical insights into the performance, lifespan, and reactivity of a material.

Sorption capacity is an important factor across a wide range of industries. The application examples below illustrate in greater detail how Dynamic Vapor Sorption (DVS) technology is used to measure sorption capacity.

Building Materials

The moisture sorption capacity of building materials such as cement, wood, insulation, and textiles has a significant impact on the service life of buildings, as well as on indoor air quality and air-conditioning loads. Dynamic Vapor Sorption (DVS) technology can be used to measure the sorption capacity of these materials not only for moisture but also for a variety of vapors, including Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and pesticides.

The following application note provides an overview of measurements of moisture sorption in cement, wood, and insulation materials using DVS.

DVS Application Note 104: Vapour Sorption Properties of Building Materials using Gravimetric Sorption Instrumentation – an Overview. [Request a copy]

Pharmaceuticals

The moisture sorption capacity of building materials such as cement, wood, insulation, and textiles has a significant impact on the service life of buildings, as well as on indoor air quality and air-conditioning loads. Dynamic Vapor Sorption (DVS) technology can be used to measure the sorption capacity of these materials not only for moisture but also for a variety of vapors, including Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and pesticides.

The following application note provides an overview of measurements of moisture sorption in cement, wood, and insulation materials using DVS.

DVS Application Note 104: Vapour Sorption Properties of Building Materials using Gravimetric Sorption Instrumentation – an Overview. [Request a copy]

Personal Care

In the hair care field, the sorption capacity of hair is directly correlated with the degree of fiber damage. In particular, moisture sorption capacity at high relative humidity has become a widely accepted indicator of damage assessment across the industry.

Dynamic Vapor Sorption (DVS) technology is an ideal method for measuring water sorption isotherms of hair, enabling precise analysis of not only sorption capacity but also isotherm hysteresis.

The application note below presents a case study using DVS together with Inverse Gas Chromatography (iGC) to analyze differences in sorption capacity and surface heterogeneity between damaged and undamaged hair.

DVS / iGC-SEA Case Study 616: Determination of Surface Properties of Human Hair by Inverse Gas Chromatography and Dynamic Vapour Sorption. [Request a copy]

VOC Capture

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are emitted from a wide range of materials, including plastics, furniture upholstery, and carpets, and are a known cause of Sick Building Syndrome. To effectively remove such indoor air pollutants, VOC capture materials such as zeolites must possess high sorption capacity.

Dynamic Vapor Sorption (DVS) technology enables direct measurement of VOC sorption — such as methanol uptake in zeolites — even in the presence of moisture under realistic conditions. DVS can also be used to screen more effective sorbents, playing a critical role in addressing issues that may cause respiratory problems, reduced concentration, and other acute discomfort symptoms.

DVS Application Note 65: Impact of Relative Humidity on the Adsorption of Volatile Organic Compounds by Porous Materials – Two Component Sorption Study. [Request a copy]

BET Surface Area and Pore Distribution

The sorption capacity of a material is determined by its surface area and pore size distribution. These two factors play a key role in understanding material behavior and in designing improved products based on that understanding.

Both Dynamic Vapor Sorption (DVS) and Inverse Gas Chromatography (IGC) can be used to measure BET surface area, and the shape of the isotherm can also be used to assess porosity.

When a material is porous, pore size distribution can be calculated from isotherm data using the Kelvin equation.

Application Note 18: Measuring BET Surface Areas using Organic Probe Molecules. [Request a copy] Application Note 37: Hysteresis Effects in Vapour Sorption. [Request a copy]