

It is good to have the instrument demonstrated in your lab so that you can actually see them in operation with the samples before you make your purchase decision. Others want data interpretation to be easy and as non-subjective as possible. Some Scientists want an instrument that is extremely easy for any operator to use with very little training and as little user-intervention as possible. But user-friendliness is in the eye of the beholder.
#Dynamic light scattering advantages and disadvantages software#
It is critical that the instrument and software are user-friendly. One needs to understand the minimum sample requirement that each instrument needs and the maximum amount of sample it can handle. Typical Sample Volume for AnalysisĬurrently available commercial dynamic light scattering instruments have sample volume requirements ranging from 2 µL to 3 mL or more. The main differences that one needs to understand are the smallest and largest size molecules or particles that can be measured, the size range for which the instrument is optimized, the concentration ranges possible, how the instrument deals with intensity spikes from aggregates or agglomerates, whether the instrument is susceptible to number fluctuations from dust or large particles, whether or not the optics are highly susceptible to effects from multiple scattering and whether or not the instrument uses good temperature control of the sample being measured. One must note that all considerations about light scattering instruments must start with an understanding of your application requirements. Every DLS instrument model has its own strengths and weaknesses and there are usually trade-offs involved when considering a wide range of applications or sample types. It is mostly in such cases that one needs to ask the question "What type of samples will I be analyzing". The purchase of a light scattering system, however, sometimes requires multiple researchers or several labs to work together to find an instrument that suits the needs of everyone involved. Researchers often know their specific application and samples quite well and they usually understand exactly what information they need from a DLS instrument. While selecting a DLS instrument, one must first know what needs to be measured. It is not certain that paper specifications translate into advantages or disadvantages when it comes to measuring the samples, and certain factors to be considered while evaluating dynamic light scattering instruments are detailed in this article Type of Samples Analyzed The key considerations while purchasing a new dynamic light scattering (DLS) instrument are the physical components and features of the system along with its technical specifications. Sponsored by Malvern Panalytical Mar 11 2014
