Micro-Chamber/Thermal Extractor™: µ-CTE™
The Micro-Chamber/Thermal Extractor (µ-CTE) provides manufacturing industry with the ideal quality control (QC) tool for rapid and meaningful analysis of organic chemical emissions and for testing the volatile organic chemicals and semi-volatile organic chemicals (VOC and SVOC) and/or formaldehyde content of materials.
Operating at temperatures anywhere between ambient and 250°C, it comprises either 4 or 6 individual sample (micro-)chambers which are simulteneously swept with a controlled and constant flow of air or carrier gas.
VOC, SVOC & formaldehyde emissions from materials
VOC and SVOC emitted from materials (surface emissions or bulk materials emissions) collected on clean sorbent (Tenax®) thermal desorption tubes and analysed by thermal desorption-gas chromography (TD-GC/MS). Formaldehyde is collected on standard DNPH cartridges and analysed by HPLC.
The Micro-Chamber/Thermal Extractor (µ-CTE) is compatible with industry standard sorbent tubes. Adaptors are also available for non-standard 6 mm O.D. sorbent tubes and aldehyde (DNPH) cartridges with 4 mm O.D. ends.
Key applications for the µ-CTE:
Micro-Chamber/Thermal Extractors are widely used within quality control (QC) departments of manufacturing industry and by who need to measure VOC and SVOC and/or formaldehye in their products and materials, or the permeation of chemicals through materials
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Industry sectors
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Application areas
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Automotive components & car trim materials
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Construction products (paints, adhesives, wood)
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Semi-conductor & PC components
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Flooring & textiles
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Consumer products
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Food packaging
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Furniture
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Comparison of products within a range (e.g. different colours/patterns)
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Testing prototype “low-emission” materials
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Monitoring product uniformity, with respect to emissions, in between formal certification tests
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Correlation with data from large emission chambers
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Flavour & fragrance profiling
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Micro-Chamber/Thermal Extractor options
The Micro-Chamber/Thermal Extractor is available in two versions:
- 6-chamber (44 ml capacity) / 120°C maximum temperature (available in either standard or inert coated stainless steel, with or without toggle valves allowing gas flow to unused micro-chambers to be blocked)
- 4-chamber (114 ml capacity / 250°C maximum temperature (available in both standard or inert coated stainless steel)
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"µ-CTE shows good quantitative and qualitative correlation with conventional emission test methods"
Reference:
Schripp, T., Nachtwey, B., Toelke, J., Salthammer, T., Uhde, E., Wensing, M. and Bahadir, M. (2007) A microscale device for measuring emissions from materials for indoor use. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 387(5): 1907-19.
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Unique flow control technology
A constant flow of air or gas is maintained through each sample chamber, independent of sorbent tube impedance and whether or not a sorbent tube is attached. No pump or mass flow controller is required. This makes the system easy-to-use and ideal for routine quality control tests.
Sample testing
Tests can be carried out at ambient or elevated temperatures and the total test time for all 6 samples, is usually between 15 and 30 minutes. Elevated temperatures can be maintained indefinitely if required e.g. for accelerated shelf-life testing of foods or consumer products or for extended permeation experiments.
Accessories
The µ-CTE includes a complete set of sample spacers to allow the emitting surface of the sample to be presented to the air flow at the correct height, whatever its original thickness. Materials for bulk emissions testing or odour/fragrance profiling may simply be weighed directly into an empty micro-chamber or into a custom made 'sample boat' which is subsequently placed into the chamber itself.
Special accessories are available (6-chamber version only) for recovery tests and for permeation testing e.g. evaluating the permeability of textiles or rubber gloves.
Relevant technical support publications from Markes International can be automatically downloaded from this website (registration required). Examples include:
Other thermal desorption sampling accessories available from Markes include: