Guide

Refractive Index Measurement Guide

Guide

How to Improve Refractive Index Measurements with Digital Refractometers?

Refractive Index Measurement Guide - How to Achieve the Best Results in Day-to-Day Refractive Index Measurement
Refractive Index Measurement Guide - How to Achieve the Best Results in Day-to-Day Refractive Index Measurement

Kırılma indeksi, BRIX, HFCS veya sıvı konsantrasyonunu ölçerken hataların nasıl önleneceğini ve özellikle dijital refraktometre ile kırılma indeksi ölçümünde en iyi sonuçların nasıl elde edileceğini öğrenmek için kırılma indeksi ölçüm kılavuzunun ücretsiz bir kopyasını indirin.

Bu kırılma indeksi ölçüm kılavuzu, kırılma indeksi, BRIX, HFCS veya sıvı konsantrasyonunu ölçerken hatalardan kaçınmak için hangi önlemlerin alınacağını açıklar. Bu önerilerin ardından, özellikle dijital refraktometre ile kırılma indeksi ölçümünde en iyi sonuçları elde etmenizi sağlayacaktır. Aşağıdaki konular ele alınmıştır:

  • Test ve Ayarlamalar: En iyi, düzenli testler veya düzenli ayarlamalar nedir? Refraktometre hangi maddeyle hangi sıklıkla test edilmeli veya ayarlanmalıdır? Hangi tolerans uygulanmalıdır?
  • Numuneler: Dijital refraktometre ile hangi tipte numuneler ölçülebilir? Zor örnekleri nelerdir ve bunları nasıl ölçebiliriz?What can be the effect on the measurement?
  • Numuneleme: Hangi tip şırıngalar kullanılmalıdır? Hava yastıkları nasıl önlenir? Ne kadar örnek uygulanmalıdır?
  • Temizleme: Numune bağlı olarak hücre nasıl temizlenmelidir? Hangi çözücüler kullanılmalıdır?
  • Sonuç doğrulama ve dokümantasyon: Kritik / problemli örnekler için hatalar nasıl tespit edilir? Sonuç diğer birimlere veya konsantrasyonlara nasıl dönüştürülür? Sonuç, ürün özelliklerinde (Kalite Kontrol) olup olmadığını otomatik olarak nasıl doğrular?

1. Test and Adjustments

The commonly held opinion that frequent adjustment of the instrument guarantees accurate results is not true. Any adjustment operation results in changes being made to the internal instrument settings.
If the adjustment is not properly performed, all the measurements performed afterwards will be wrong.

Instead of frequent adjustment, it is better to regularly verify the measurement accuracy of the system by measuring a sample of accurately known density (e.g. distilled water or a standard) which is called test, calibration or check. Then the measured refractive index is compared to the known nominal value of the sample.

 

Get more information in the Refractive Index Measurement Guide

 

One Click Test with Standards - Video

See how to run a test with a standard to check if your density meter or refractometer is still working properly.

Test (Calibration)

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Adjustment

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2. Samples

Pasty samples

Pasty samples, for instance tomato puree, bear the risk of air cushions between the prism and the sample. Make sure that the sample is in full contact with the prism by “pressing” it down.
METTLER TOLEDO RM Refractometers can be equipped with an easy mountable presser. When the lid is being closed, the sample is automati- cally pressed to the prism.

Get more information in the Refractive Index Measurement Guide

Sticky / viscous samples

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Aggressive samples

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Volatile samples

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Non-homogeneous samples/suspensions

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3. Sampling

With a syringe

Use plastic syringes with luer tip, preferably 3-component syringes (with rubber O-ring) as they allow a much better speed control than cheap 2-component syringes.

Get more information in the Refractive Index Measurement Guide

Avoid air cushions

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Add Enough Sample

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Automatic filling

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4. Cleaning

Procedure for manual use of refractometer

Remove old sample

To remove the sample (and the solvents) from the refractometer cell, it is suggested to use a syringe. This “waste syringe” can be used over and over again (tip: mark this syringe, for instance with black tape). Using a syringe saves a lot of soft tissue cleaning wipes and reduces waste.

Rinse

Clean with an ideal solvent a few times. The solvent must be able to quickly dissolve the sample.

  • Add the solvent
  • Stir with the “waste syringe”
  • Remove all with the “waste syringe”
  • A second solvent which allows quick drying (e.g. Acetone) of ten bears the risk for contamination!

Dry

Wipe the prism/cell dry with a soft tissue. Wait 10 seconds, before adding next sample

Get more information in the Refractive Index Measurement Guide

Cleaning with automation devices

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5. Result verification and documentation

Automatic result conversion

Often the result has to be converted using a table. Looking up in or interpolating from a table is error-prone and time-consuming. Automatic conversion using built-in tables (e.g. alcohol, Brix, temperature compensation according to API) prevents reading or calculation errors and saves time. A digital refractometer of the latest generation allows the use of built-in conversion tables to show the result directly in the desired unit. METTLER TOLEDO RM Refractometers have to following built-in result units / concentration tables:

  • nD, Zeiss (14.45), Zeiss (15.00)
  • Brix, HFCS 42/55, Invert Sugar, Oechsle
  • Up to 30 user -defined concentration tables (can be entered as tables or formulas)

Get more information in the Refractive Index Measurement Guide

Error detection

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Result limits

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Proper Documentation

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