ISC 2026 - Day 2

<h4>What if you could compress 179 days of grueling laboratory workflow into just 14 hours?</h4>In this episode of ‪ChromatographyTalk‬, ‪Organomation‬ General Manager David Oliva sits down with analytical chemist Laura Penabad to discuss her groundbreaking new research in biocatalysis and high-throughput screening. Evolving engineered enzymes typically requires checking thousands of variants—a massive bottleneck when traditional Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) runs take minutes per sample. Laura reveals how her team built a modular screening platform that shatters this limitation, running samples 128 times faster than standard methods without sacrificing analytical accuracy.Laura breaks down the "orchestra" of technologies making this possible, including coupling nanoliter droplet microfluidics with Cyclic Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry (cIM-MS) to separate complex chemical isomers in milliseconds. She also shares the chaotic but triumphant behind-the-scenes stories of her PhD journey—from presenting a "comically bad" early poster at ASMS to recruiting an undergraduate mechanical engineer to build custom automation software from scratch.If you are an early-career researcher, a mass spec enthusiast, or curious about the future of synthetic biology and machine learning in chemistry, this episode is packed with invaluable intuition and advice.<h3>Video Transcription</h3><h4>From Months to Hours: Droplet Ion Mobility–MS for Biocatalysis Screening</h4>High-throughput screening is central to directed enzyme evolution, but conventional analytical workflows can create a difficult compromise: extremely fast screens often provide limited structural information, while techniques such as LC-MS offer much richer chemical insight at the cost of throughput. In a recent interview, analytical chemist Laura described how her work with droplet-based cyclic ion mobility mass spectrometry is helping bridge that gap—providing rapid analysis while retaining the ability to distinguish structurally similar products.Her research grew from an initially modest proof of concept into a screening platform capable of analyzing a 96-well plate in roughly ten minutes. The resulting workflow was approximately 128 times faster than a conventional three-minute LC-MS analysis, opening new possibilities for directed evolution campaigns in which thousands of enzyme variants need to be evaluated.<h4>Directed evolution needs better analytical screening</h4>Biocatalysis takes advantage of enzymes as highly selective catalysts capable of performing reactions under relatively mild conditions. Directed evolution extends those capabilities by deliberately modifying enzyme sequences, expressing large numbers of variants, screening their activity, and using the best-performing mutants as starting points for subsequent rounds of evolution.The process can be repeated multiple times, progressively steering an enzyme toward improved activity, altered substrate specificity, or even chemistry that does not occur naturally.But the effectiveness of directed evolution depends heavily on the screening step. The more variants that can be analyzed—and the more useful chemical information that can be collected for each one—the more effectively researchers can explore the enormous sequence space available to an enzyme.For Laura, this created a clear analytical challenge: develop a screening platform that was substantially faster than conventional chromatographic analysis without sacrificing the structural discrimination needed for chemically similar products.<h4>From an imperfect first experiment to a working platform</h4>The project did not begin with a polished high-throughput workflow.Laura recalled looking back at her 2023 ASMS poster, where the early system was still working with standards rather than true isomeric samples. Droplet introduction was slow—around six seconds per droplet—and the signals were far from the ideal reproducible, square, flat-topped profiles expected from replicate droplets.Nevertheless, simply producing a droplet signal represented an important first milestone.The decisive change came when the project stopped being treated merely as a demonstration that droplet ion mobility–MS could work and instead became a deliberate effort to build a robust screening platform.Laura approached the problem in modules. First came reliable droplet introduction. Then the ion mobility separation method. Quantification became another independent component. Matrix effects were introduced later, gradually making the system resemble the conditions expected with real screening samples.Each layer was tested before another was added.This stepwise strategy became one of the central principles of the project: rather than attempting to optimize the entire system simultaneously, individual components were developed, challenged, and then assembled into an increasingly realistic workflow.<h4>Finding the middle ground between speed and structural information</h4>One of the biggest analytical problems in high-throughput screening is distinguishing products with the same nominal or exact mass.Constitutional isomers may contain the same atoms and therefore generate the same mass-to-charge ratio, while differing only in how functional groups are arranged within the molecular structure. Very rapid optical or mass-based screens may therefore struggle to distinguish them.Traditional LC-MS can solve many of these problems through chromatographic separation, but a several-minute analysis rapidly becomes impractical when thousands of enzyme variants must be screened.Ion mobility offered Laura’s team another option.Rather than separating compounds on a chromatographic timescale, ion mobility can differentiate ions according to their gas-phase behavior on a much shorter timescale. In the workflow described in the interview, this created a useful compromise: not the kilohertz throughput possible with some simple screening technologies, but dramatically faster structural differentiation than conventional LC-MS.The goal was therefore not simply to achieve the fastest possible screen, but to find a middle-throughput analytical regime with enough resolving power to answer chemically meaningful questions.<h4>A 96-well plate in about ten minutes</h4>That strategy eventually produced one of the most striking results of the project.The droplet cyclic ion mobility–MS platform processed a 96-well plate in roughly ten minutes, while maintaining quantitative results comparable with the conventional LC-MS workflow used for comparison. According to the interview, this represented an approximately 128-fold increase in analysis speed relative to a three-minute LC-MS run.Laura described the successful plate experiment less as a surprise than as confirmation that the modular development strategy had worked.Before reaching that point, the workflow had already been challenged through a sequence of increasingly demanding experiments: droplet formation, ion mobility separation, calibration, matrix-containing calibration, and cross-testing analytes at different concentrations. By the time the complete plate was analyzed, each individual part of the analytical system had already been tested under progressively more realistic conditions.<h4>What does that speed mean for directed evolution?</h4>The impact becomes even clearer when the workflow is considered at the scale of an entire directed-evolution campaign.Laura’s manuscript estimated that a five-round campaign involving 5,000 variants would require approximately 179 days using the conventional LC-MS workflow but only about 14 hours using the new platform.Compressing months of analytical work into less than a day has consequences beyond laboratory productivity.It allows researchers to screen more enzyme variants and therefore sample a larger portion of sequence space. But the resulting datasets may also become increasingly valuable for computational approaches.Rather than retaining information only about the best-performing enzyme variant, researchers can preserve data describing variants that performed poorly as well as those that succeeded. When genotype and phenotype information remain linked through the well-plate workflow, these larger datasets can potentially provide richer input for machine-learning models designed to guide subsequent rounds of enzyme evolution.Faster analysis therefore does more than accelerate an existing experiment—it can change the scale and design of the experiment itself.<h4>Balancing ion mobility resolution and signal</h4>Increasing cyclic ion mobility separation time can improve resolution, but it also introduces an important trade-off: additional passes can reduce signal.Laura optimized this balance experimentally by continuously infusing mixtures containing both isomers and progressively adjusting the ion mobility conditions. After tuning parameters such as wave height and velocity, increasing the separation to three passes provided baseline resolution at the high analyte concentrations used during method development.<blockquote>Concentration, however, also mattered.</blockquote>At higher ion populations, space-charge effects could broaden peaks and reduce the baseline separation. This meant that the optimal number of passes could not be selected independently of the concentration range required by the final assay.Her broader advice for optimization is therefore application-driven: decide first what the analytical method actually needs to accomplish.More speed will almost always require sacrificing something—resolution, signal intensity, quantitative precision, or another performance parameter. The key is to identify which compromise the application can tolerate and then optimize the system around that requirement.<h4>Solving droplet carryover with a practical compromise</h4>Droplet-based workflows present their own engineering challenges, including carryover between neighboring samples.In Laura’s system, analytes showed little tendency to partition into the fluorinated oil separating aqueous droplets within the Teflon tubing. The more troublesome carryover occurred closer to electrospray ionization, where a small amount of sample could remain associated with the interface and appear when the next droplet arrived.Rather than adding excessive engineering complexity to an already elaborate platform, the researchers adopted a pragmatic solution: a sacrificial wash droplet between analytical samples.It is an example of a recurring theme throughout the project. The objective was not to construct the theoretically most sophisticated droplet system, but to create a screening workflow that remained sufficiently robust, reproducible, and practical for large numbers of samples.<h4>High-throughput analysis also requires high-throughput data processing</h4>Accelerating the mass spectrometry experiment created another bottleneck: the data.The instrument produced a continuous intensity-versus-time trace rather than a neatly organized well-plate dataset. With small experiments, Laura could manually identify individual droplets and process the results in spreadsheets. That approach quickly became unrealistic as sample numbers increased.The solution emerged through collaboration with an undergraduate mentee, Aiden, who helped develop a dedicated software tool for processing the continuous traces.Laura defined how the software should behave and how the analytical information should be organized, while Aiden developed the computational implementation. The workflow itself was subsequently adjusted to make automated data processing more reliable—for example, by introducing marker columns that allowed the software to recognize the end of each plate row.The resulting tool can accept the acquired traces together with information about plate dimensions and replicates and automatically return parameters including peak identity, duration, and the corresponding well position. A later version also generated an automatically populated heat map.The experience illustrates how improving analytical throughput often requires simultaneous development of instrumentation, experimental design, and informatics. Making the measurement faster is useful only if the resulting data can be processed at a comparable speed.<h4>Mentoring became part of the scientific process</h4>The software project also reflects another theme Laura emphasized throughout the interview: the value of mentoring.Several younger researchers contributed directly to the development of the final platform. Laura described mentees not simply as additional hands in the laboratory but as scientists capable of proposing their own hypotheses and experimental ideas.Working with undergraduate researchers also influenced the way she organized experiments.Because their available laboratory time was limited, each task needed to have a clear purpose. That encouraged a more disciplined approach to experimental planning: instead of performing experiments simply because they could be done, the team had to ask which experiment would most efficiently answer the next important question.In that sense, mentoring became another mechanism for improving the research itself.<h4>The next step: continuous, automated screening</h4>Despite the dramatic increase in analytical speed, the current workflow still includes manual operations such as loading tubing and connecting the sample stream to the mass spectrometer.The next engineering challenge is therefore automation.Laura described ongoing work using the Venturi effect to pull samples directly from wells into the droplet system. Building on previous work in the laboratory with 96-well plates, she has already tested this approach with as many as 2,000 samples.The long-term direction is clear: continuous and robust droplet generation, automated handling of thousands of samples, rapid ion mobility separation, mass spectrometric detection, and automated reconstruction of the resulting data into plate-based outputs.Combining those elements could move the system closer to the type of large-scale screening required for increasingly ambitious biocatalysis campaigns.<h4>Learning mass spectrometry one problem at a time</h4>Laura also reflected on the broader experience of developing the platform during her PhD.Ion mobility and mass spectrometry initially appeared intimidating, particularly because they combine concepts from analytical chemistry, physical chemistry, separations, instrumentation, and electrical engineering. What eventually changed was not simply learning more facts, but developing the ability to move repeatedly between theory and experiment.An unexpected result sends the researcher back to the underlying theory. A better understanding suggests a modified experiment. That experiment creates another observation, gradually building intuition about how the system behaves.Her advice to early-career scientists is therefore to accept that this process takes time.Advanced analytical techniques may initially appear overwhelming, but understanding develops incrementally through repeated interaction between theory, experimentation, failure, and refinement. Equally important, she emphasized the role of the supportive ion mobility–mass spectrometry community in making a technically demanding field more approachable for young researchers.From the first inconsistent droplets to a platform capable of processing thousands of samples, that iterative mindset ultimately shaped the entire project.<blockquote>This text has been automatically transcribed from a video presentation using AI technology. It may contain inaccuracies and is not guaranteed to be 100% correct.</blockquote><blockquote><h4>Concentrating on Chromatography Podcast</h4>Dive into the frontiers of chromatography, mass spectrometry, and sample preparation with host David Oliva. Each episode features candid conversations with leading researchers, industry innovators, and passionate scientists who are shaping the future of analytical chemistry. From decoding PFAS detection challenges to exploring the latest in AI-assisted liquid chromatography, this show uncovers practical workflows, sustainability breakthroughs, and the real-world impact of separation science. Whether you’re a chromatographer, lab professional, or researcher you'll discover inspiring content!You can find Concentrating on Chromatography Podcast in podcast apps:<ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1wZg67rCjoGju4yhqxI3tL">Spotify</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tz/podcast/concentrating-on-chromatography/id1788429185">Apple podcast</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podscan.fm/podcasts/concentrating-on-chromatography">podscan</a></li></ul>and on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.youtube.com/@ChromatographyTalk/videos">YouTube channel</a></blockquote>

Droplet Cyclic Ion Mobility Mass Spec: Compressing Months of Enzyme Screening Into Just 14 Hours

ISC 2026 - Day 3

Article

Events

Video

Scientists

Interview

The International Symposium on Chromatography (ISC) represents the oldest conference series focussing on separation science. ISC symposia have been organised since 1956 in each even year. ISC is internationally recognised as one of the premier meeting series for discussion of all modes of chromatography and separation science with a broad coverage of techniques and applications.

International Symposium on Chromatography - (ISC)

Organomation, founded in 1959, designs and manufactures high-quality nitrogen evaporators and extraction systems. Known for innovation and durability, their lab instruments are used globally for efficient sample preparation with strong customer support.

Organomation

LECO TruSpec Micro CHN/CHNS/O

TruSpec Micro provides fast, reliable CHN, CHNS, and optional oxygen analysis of micro samples with low cost-per-analysis, robust design, and rapid results in as little as 4 minutes.

The TruSpec Micro delivers high-performance determination of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen in solid or liquid micro samples. Its integrated design combines speed, robustness, and low maintenance to provide reliable and consistent elemental analysis, even for demanding laboratory workflows.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/LECO_Tru_Spec_Micro_CHN_CHNS_O_4090ff8fc5.jpg" alt="LECO: TruSpec Micro CHN/CHNS/O" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_LECO_Tru_Spec_Micro_CHN_CHNS_O_4090ff8fc5.jpg 218w," sizes="100vw" width="1202" height="862"><h4>Key Features</h4><ul><li>Optimal performance for CHN, CHNS, and optional oxygen determination in micro samples</li><li>Low cost-per-analysis with minimal reagent consumption</li><li>Nominal sample mass of 2 mg, ideal for limited or valuable samples</li><li>Rapid analysis times (approximately 4 minutes for CHN/CHNS)</li><li>Reduced downtime and maintenance due to robust system design</li><li>Supports compliance with 21 CFR Part 11 regulations</li><li>Optional oxygen module enables independent oxygen determination using high-temperature pyrolysis at 1300 °C, with analysis times of about 2 minutes</li></ul><h4>Theory of Operation</h4>The TruSpec Micro CHN and CHNS systems achieve their efficiency and speed through a flow-through carrier gas design combined with highly selective infrared (IR) and thermal conductivity (TC) detectors.A weighed micro sample is placed into the autoloader and automatically introduced into a high-temperature combustion furnace. During combustion, carbon is converted to CO₂, hydrogen to H₂O, nitrogen to N₂, and sulfur to SO₂. The resulting gases are swept from the furnace through scrubbing reagents and directed to the detection system as they are released. Independent IR detectors simultaneously measure carbon, hydrogen, and sulfur, while nitrogen is quantified using a thermal conductivity detector. The complete CHN or CHNS analysis cycle is finished in approximately four minutes.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/LECO_Tru_Spec_Micro_CHN_CHNS_O_2_be47a94ba1.jpg" alt="LECO: TruSpec Micro CHN/CHNS/O" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_LECO_Tru_Spec_Micro_CHN_CHNS_O_2_be47a94ba1.jpg 204w," sizes="100vw" width="855" height="654"><h4>Optional Oxygen Determination</h4>The micro oxygen add-on module extends the TruSpec Micro’s capabilities to oxygen analysis in organic matrices and is compatible with both CHN and CHNS configurations. Samples are introduced into a dedicated high-temperature pyrolysis furnace, where oxygen reacts in a carbon-rich environment to form CO. The CO is then converted to CO₂ and measured by an infrared detector. Oxygen analysis is completed in roughly one to two minutes, depending on configuration.<h4>Models</h4><ul><li>TruSpec Micro CHNS – Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, and Sulfur determination</li><li>TruSpec Micro CHN – Carbon, Hydrogen, and Nitrogen determination</li></ul><h4>Options</h4><ul><li>Sulfur add-on module</li><li>Oxygen add-on module</li></ul>

LECO RC612 Multiphase Determination of Carbon and Water

The LECO RC612 delivers fast carbon and water determination with advanced carbon form differentiation, flexible furnace programming, IR detection, and optional automation in a compact, easy-to-use system.

The RC612 is a state-of-the-art analyzer designed for fast and reliable determination of carbon and water in a wide range of organic and inorganic materials. In addition to total carbon and moisture quantification, the RC612 enables differentiation between multiple carbon forms, providing deeper insight into sample composition. Its compact footprint, robust construction, and intuitive operating software make it a powerful yet easy-to-use solution for routine and advanced laboratory applications.<h4>Key Features</h4><ul><li>Complies with AWS (ANSI) approved methods for determination of moisture content in welding fluxes and welding electrode flux coverings</li><li>Supports both qualitative and quantitative analysis</li><li>Easy-to-install combustion tube simplifies maintenance and reduces downtime</li><li>Large-diameter reaction tube enables moisture analysis of diverse sample types, including powders, flat strips, and tubular sections</li><li>Differentiation of surface, free, organic, and inorganic carbon forms</li><li>Optional rugged 50-position autoloader for unattended, automated operation</li><li>Built-in on-board diagnostics to minimize downtime and support reliable performance</li></ul><h4>Theory of Operation</h4>The RC612 multiphase carbon and hydrogen/moisture determinator measures carbon and water content in organic and inorganic samples while distinguishing between different carbon sources. The system employs a dual-stage furnace with advanced temperature control, programmable from near ambient up to 1100 °C, allowing tailored thermal programs for specific applications.During analysis, the operator can define multiple furnace steps and select either oxygen or nitrogen as the purge gas to create oxidizing or inert conditions. Under these controlled environments, carbon- and water-containing components are either combusted or reacted. An integrated afterburner furnace, typically operated at 850 °C, together with a secondary oxidation catalyst, ensures complete conversion of all evolved components.Quantification is performed using infrared (IR) detection, with results reported as weight percent or coating weight (mg/in²). When samples are combusted in an oxidizing atmosphere, nearly all carbon forms are converted to CO₂. Organic carbon is identified by the simultaneous formation of CO₂ and H₂O, producing coincident IR signals. In inert conditions, water and carbonates are detected while organic carbon is generally not observed, enabling selective differentiation of carbon species.For unknown samples, a slow temperature ramp program (for example, 100 °C to 1000 °C at 20 °C/min) can be applied. This approach reveals the temperatures at which various carbon forms oxidize or volatilize, allowing optimization of furnace programs for faster and more targeted quantitative analysis in routine workflows.

LECO Cold Mounting Castable Mounts for Metallographic Sample Preparation

Cold mounting materials from LECO include polyester, acrylic, and epoxy resins designed for porous, brittle, or heat-sensitive samples, ensuring easy handling and excellent edge integrity.

Cold mounting—also known as castable mounting—is a metallographic sample preparation technique that uses liquid mounting media to fully encase a specimen. Common mounting materials include polyester, acrylic, and epoxy resins. After the sample is positioned in a mold, a catalyst is added to initiate curing and hardening of the mounting compound.This mounting approach is especially suitable for laboratories with lower throughput but a high diversity of samples. Cold mounting is often the preferred—or required—method for porous, brittle, irregularly shaped, or heat-sensitive specimens that cannot withstand the temperature and pressure of hot mounting. Once cured, the mounted samples are easier to handle during grinding, polishing, and analysis, while preserving edge integrity and microstructural features.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/LECO_Zalevaci_kelimky_pro_pripravu_metalografickych_vzorku_2_b63c61bea7.jpg" alt="LECO: Cold Mounting Castable Mounts for Metallographic Sample Preparation" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_LECO_Zalevaci_kelimky_pro_pripravu_metalografickych_vzorku_2_b63c61bea7.jpg 178w," sizes="100vw" width="884" height="776"><h4>Cold Mounting Media Options</h4>We offer a complete range of cold mounting materials to support different laboratory needs and sample types:<ul><li>Polyester Resins Polyesters are an economical solution for laboratories processing lower sample volumes and where edge retention is not a primary concern. They allow for fast and straightforward mounting and are well suited for routine applications requiring quick turnaround.</li><li>Acrylic Resins Acrylics cure faster than most other castable mounting materials and offer good abrasion resistance with fair edge retention. They are commonly used when multiple mounts are required and hot mounting is impractical. When used with a pressure chamber, such as the LECOMAT Pressure Vessel, acrylics can produce semi-clear mounts.</li><li>Epoxy Resins Epoxies provide hard, chemically resistant, and abrasion-resistant mounts with excellent edge retention. Although they generally require longer curing times, they offer superior flow characteristics and minimal shrinkage. Long-cure epoxies are ideal for challenging samples and can be vacuum-impregnated to remove trapped air and fill internal voids. Quick-cure epoxy formulations are also available, curing in less than one hour.</li></ul><h4>Available Products (Models)</h4><ul><li>Castolite – Polyester</li><li>LECOSET 7000 – Polyester</li><li>LECOSET 7008 – Acrylic</li><li>Quick-Cure Epoxies</li><li>Long-Cure Epoxies</li></ul><h4>Accessories and Options</h4><ul><li>Ring molds</li><li>Silicone rubber molds</li><li>Mold cups</li><li>General mounting supplies</li><li>LECOMAT Pressure Vessel for pressure impregnation and improved clarity</li></ul>

LECO DH603 Residual and Diffusible Hydrogen Determination by Hot Extraction

The LECO DH603 delivers fast, precise residual and diffusible hydrogen determination in ferrous alloys using hot extraction, advanced furnace control, and flexible sampling options.

The DH603 Hot Extraction Analyzer is designed for fast, precise determination of hydrogen in iron and ferrous alloys. It supports residual (total) hydrogen analysis as well as combined diffusible and residual hydrogen determination using a single, compact instrument. With a small footprint, intuitive operating software, enhanced safety features, and a robust mechanical design, the DH603 streamlines hydrogen analysis in both production and quality control environments.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/LECO_DH_603_Stanoveni_zbytkoveho_a_difuzniho_vodiku_horkou_extrakci_d968c7c42b.jpg" alt="LECO: DH603 Residual and Diffusible Hydrogen Determination by Hot Extraction" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_LECO_DH_603_Stanoveni_zbytkoveho_a_difuzniho_vodiku_horkou_extrakci_d968c7c42b.jpg 237w," sizes="100vw" width="1325" height="875"><h4>Key Features</h4><ul><li>Exclusive ECLIPSE architecture, a LECO-designed platform that improves long-term reliability and simplifies serviceability</li><li>Support for a wide range of evacuated pin tubes and diffusible samplers for rapid hydrogen determination in molten metals</li><li>Improved internal plumbing for faster and easier maintenance of the gas flow path</li><li>Ergonomic outer shells provide easy access to critical components for routine operation and service</li><li>Advanced furnace control system enabling temperature ramping from ambient to 1100 °C</li><li>Optional diffusible sampler piercer, allowing users to choose between residual/total hydrogen or combined diffusible and residual hydrogen measurements</li><li>Gas dose calibration capability enables calibration without the need for reference materials</li></ul><h4>Theory of Operation</h4>The DH603 determines hydrogen content in iron and ferrous alloys using hot extraction coupled with thermal conductivity detection. The system supports two analytical approaches: residual (total) hydrogen determination and combined diffusible plus residual hydrogen determination when equipped with the optional piercer.For residual (total) hydrogen analysis, a pre-weighed sample is placed directly into the furnace. Hydrogen is released from the sample by hot extraction and carried into a flowing inert gas stream. The evolved hydrogen is quantified using a thermal conductivity detector, and results are reported in parts per million (ppm). Samples are typically collected using LECO vacuum pin tubes or equivalent techniques.For diffusible and residual hydrogen analysis, a sampler is first placed into the optional piercing unit. The sampler is punctured, allowing diffusible molecular hydrogen to be purged into the carrier gas stream and measured by the thermal conductivity detector. After diffusible hydrogen measurement, the sampler is removed, the outer shroud is taken off, and the remaining pin sample is weighed. This sample is then introduced into the furnace, where residual hydrogen is released by hot extraction and quantified. Final hydrogen concentrations are reported in ppm, providing a complete hydrogen profile from a single instrument.<h4>Available Models</h4><ul><li>DH603DC – DH603 with diffusible hydrogen piercer</li><li>DH603C – DH603 for residual (total) hydrogen determination</li></ul>

LECO AF700 Coal and Coke Ash Fusibility Determinator

LECO AF700 is an automated ash fusion determinator for precise measurement of IT, ST, HT, and FT temperatures, featuring digital imaging, image recognition, enhanced safety, and high-durability furnace design.

The LECO AF700 Ash Fusion Determinator is designed to increase laboratory throughput by automatically determining ash fusibility temperatures, including Initial Deformation (IT), Softening (ST), Hemispherical (HT), and Flow (FT) temperatures. Built with enhanced robustness, integrated safety features, and advanced digital imaging, the AF700 delivers reliable, repeatable ash fusion analysis with minimal operator intervention.The system combines precise furnace temperature control, high-resolution digital imaging, and intelligent software-driven image recognition to support objective and defensible ash fusibility determinations. Digital archiving capabilities ensure full traceability and easy review of results, supporting both routine testing and confirmatory analysis.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/LECO_AF_700_Analyzator_tavitelnosti_popela_66f55ca93d.jpg" alt="LECO AF700" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_LECO_AF_700_Analyzator_tavitelnosti_popela_66f55ca93d.jpg 166w," sizes="100vw" width="1030" height="970"><h4>Key Features</h4><ul><li>Integrated high-stability imaging system<ul><li>Permanently mounted camera isolated from the high-temperature furnace zone</li><li>Integrated viewing system ensures consistent alignment of mirrors, camera, and furnace</li></ul></li><li>Automated, objective ash fusion determination<ul><li>Image Recognition Functions (IRF) automatically identify IT, ST, HT, and FT</li><li>Optional automatic analysis termination once all deformation points are reached</li></ul></li><li>Complete digital documentation<ul><li>Full image history archived for every analysis</li><li>Archived images can be retrieved for review, confirmation, or subjective evaluation</li><li>Supports storage on DVD, CD-RW, or hard drive</li></ul></li><li>Enhanced laboratory safety<ul><li>Door interlocks prevent unsafe furnace operation</li><li>Integrated carbon monoxide detector improves operator protection</li></ul></li><li>Improved low-temperature visibility<ul><li>LED light ring enables clear observation of early deformation points</li></ul></li><li>High-durability furnace design<ul><li>Six-element, high-endurance heating furnace ensures long service life</li><li>Designed for sustained operation under demanding laboratory conditions</li></ul></li></ul><h4>Theory of Operation</h4>The LECO AF700 automatically monitors ash cone deformation temperatures in coal ash and coke ash samples. Prepared ash cones are positioned on a ceramic tray and inserted into a programmable, high-temperature furnace.The operator selects an analytical method defining the furnace atmosphere—oxidizing or reducing—as well as the temperature ramp rate in degrees Celsius per minute. Once the furnace reaches the method-defined starting temperature, a digital camera begins collecting images at defined intervals.Image Recognition Functions (IRF) within the software analyze sample geometry in real time to automatically identify standard ash fusibility temperatures: Initial Deformation (IT), Softening (ST), Hemispherical (HT), and Flow (FT). The system can optionally terminate the analysis automatically once all deformation points have been detected for all samples, improving throughput while extending furnace lifetime.All images collected during analysis are digitally archived, allowing easy retrieval for verification, reporting, or subjective reassessment of deformation temperatures when required.<h4>Models</h4><ul><li>AF700 – Single Furnace System</li><li>AF700 – Dual Furnace System</li></ul>

LECO TGA801 Thermogravimetric Analysis of Moisture, Ash, Volatile Content, and Loss-on-Ignition

LECO TGA801 is a macro thermogravimetric analyzer for automated determination of moisture, ash, volatiles, and LOI with high precision, flexible methods, and up to 19-sample capacity.

The LECO TGA801 builds on the proven performance of previous generations of LECO macro TGA instruments, delivering enhanced robustness, precision, and operational reliability. Combining state-of-the-art hardware with an intuitive touch-screen software platform and rugged construction, the TGA801 enables accurate, high-precision thermogravimetric constituent analysis.The instrument supports determination of moisture, ash, volatile content, and Loss-on-Ignition (LOI) in a wide range of organic, inorganic, and synthetic materials. Designed in accordance with ASTM standardized methods, the TGA801 is well suited for laboratories serving industries such as coal, cement, catalysts, food, and feed analysis.Macro thermogravimetric analysis using nominal 1 g sample masses replaces traditional, labor-intensive gravimetric workflows that rely on multiple manual weighing steps, ovens, muffle furnaces, and desiccators. Flexible method configuration, automation, and advanced hardware allow the TGA801 to deliver a fully automated analysis sequence, requiring only the initial manual sample weighing to maximize laboratory productivity.Cornerstone Mobile remote software extends instrument visibility beyond the laboratory, enabling users to monitor batch progress, instrument status, and performance from a smartphone, tablet, or PC.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/TGA_801_Termogravimetricka_analyza_vlhkosti_popela_tekavych_latek_a_ztraty_zihanim_4_46d807b3c3.jpg" alt="LECO TGA801" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_TGA_801_Termogravimetricka_analyza_vlhkosti_popela_tekavych_latek_a_ztraty_zihanim_4_46d807b3c3.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="757" height="476"><h4>Key Features and Benefits</h4><ul><li>High-throughput automated thermogravimetric analysis<ul><li>Simultaneous analysis of up to 19 samples</li></ul></li><li>Intelligent endpoint determination<ul><li>Automatic endpoint recognition based on sample mass constancy</li></ul></li><li>High-precision mass measurement<ul><li>Integrated, thermally isolated balance with 0.0001 g resolution</li><li>Low drift design ensures stable and repeatable results throughout the analysis cycle</li></ul></li><li>Accurate and controlled furnace operation<ul><li>Precise temperature ramping and set-point control</li><li>Minimal temperature overshoot for excellent thermal accuracy</li></ul></li><li>Uniform sample exposure<ul><li>Rotating automation sequence ensures consistent furnace conditions for all samples</li></ul></li><li>Flexible atmosphere control<ul><li>Automated control of furnace atmosphere and gas flow</li><li>Supports air, nitrogen, or oxygen environments</li></ul></li><li>Method versatility<ul><li>Configurable method steps allow emulation of classic gravimetric test methods</li></ul></li><li>Enhanced safety and reliability<ul><li>Furnace lid remains locked open during power or pneumatic interruptions</li></ul></li></ul><h4>Applications</h4>The TGA801 is ideal for thermogravimetric analysis across a wide range of materials, including:<ul><li>Coal and coke</li><li>Combustion residues</li><li>Biomass materials</li><li>Catalyst materials</li><li>Soils and ores</li><li>Ceramics</li><li>Gypsum and building materials</li><li>Hydrated lime and cement</li><li>Flour and milled products</li><li>Feed materials</li><li>Resins and polymers</li></ul><h4>Models</h4><ul><li>TGA801 – Thermogravimetric Analyzer</li><li>TGA801 Dual Furnace Package – Dual furnace configuration for increased throughput and flexibility</li></ul><h4>Theory of Operation</h4>The TGA801 determines weight loss associated with moisture, volatiles, ash, and Loss-on-Ignition by measuring sample mass as a function of temperature under precisely controlled atmospheric conditions. The multi-sample furnace design enables simultaneous analysis of up to 19 samples.An analysis begins after samples are logged and empty crucibles are placed into the sample carousel. The system automatically records the mass of each empty crucible before prompting the operator to load samples. Once loaded, initial sample weights are recorded and the selected furnace temperature program is initiated.The furnace atmosphere is controlled using one of three analytical gases—air, nitrogen, or oxygen—depending on the analytical step. Each method step can be configured with specific temperature set points, ramp rates, atmospheres, and durations defined either by fixed time or mass constancy. Preset method steps for moisture, volatile matter, and ash determination are available and commonly used.Throughout the analysis, crucibles are automatically indexed and lowered onto the balance pedestal to record sample mass. Mass changes are tracked sequentially for each sample, and results are typically reported as percent mass loss at the end of each step. Additional or alternative calculations can be defined within the method as needed.An external PC running LECO Cornerstone® software manages all quantitative calculations, stores analytical data, and provides comprehensive reporting and traceability.

Products distributed by LECO Instrumente Plzeň - page 2

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