2018 ASHS Annual Conference

Particle size analysis is conducted to better understand the physical characteristics of a material or to ensure a product remains within a predetermined range of sizes for quality control. Previously in substrate research, particle size analysis has been conducted by sieving as the principles of sieving are easy to understand and the equipment is relatively cheap. However, sieving provides very little data about the shape characteristics of the material. Additionally, the equipment would be difficult to incorporate into a streamlined production system. Image analysis is capable of obtaining similar particle size distribution data and the equipment could be easily incorporated into a streamlined production system. Substrates were analyzed using a computerized particle analyzer (CPA) to explore the potential of image analysis for substrate characterization. Tyler’s CPA analyzes each individual particle greater than 33 microns as the particle passes between a light source and camera. Each particle is instantly analyzed according to any one of many operator-selected parameters, such as equivalent diameter, minimum Feret, maximum Feret, length, skeletal length, or geodetic length. The thorough analysis of the CPA includes distributions of a sample’s particle count, length, area, volume, or length to width ratio. Although the equipment was hindered by touching or dust-sized particles, image analysis provides a plethora of information to characterize a material beyond that of sieving’s capabilities.