Chemical Refractometer Concentration Measurement

Chemical Refractometer Industry Description

Many chemicals are sold and shipped as solutions. Both suppliers and end users want to know the exact concentration of the solution. That concentration determines the value of the material and, from a users point of view, how much is added to the process mixture. A chemical refractometer is an extremely quick way to validate starting material purity, measure concentrations, and validate mixture end points. Our rugged instruments can be located in a load out area or beside a production line, not just in a lab.

Reasons to Choose Rudolph

Chemical measurement needs temperature control, not correction, and all Rudolph chemical refractometers from the J57 above have this.
Money is often changing hands on the result so being able to prove calibration to ISO or similar is essential.
Many solvents have Refractive Indices(RI) outside of the range that a food refractometer can measure; a specialty chemical model is needed.

Typical Rudolph Users

Most countries now require that urea solutions be a part of diesel exhaust emission systems. This fluid goes by different names such as Adblue, DEF and ARLA. Manufacturers like YARA and distributors like BRENNTAG use Rudolph.
Manufacturers of polymers like Nylon need to monitor raw material solutions. Dupont / Kordsa are just one of many Rudolph users.
Urea Formaldehyde and Phenol Formaldehyde resins are critically important to the wood industry. Manufacturers like Hexion and Dynea use Rudolph as part of process control.

Refractometer Selections by Industry

Refractometers for Water Based Chemicals:

Resins
Polymers
Coolants
Gels
Gluers
Glycols
Fine chemicals
Ethylene
Acids

Refractometers for Petroleum Based Chemicals:

Oil based paints
Fine chemicals
Fluranes
PET
Polymers
Resins
Solvents
Plastics

Feature Highlight

All J Series refractometers are designed for high chemical resistance from the outset with the wetted parts being sapphire, Tectron® and 316 stainless steel. However, when using HCl and other caustic compounds, 316 stainless steel is not resistant enough. For these applications Rudolph offers an extended chemical resistance option where the sample dish and cover are made from Hastelloy (H Option).

Hastelloy Suggested Applications

$refracto-chem-feature-highlight$ Hydrofluoric acid at all concentrations
HCl and similar acids at all concentrations
Strong alkalis
Strong oxidizing agents

For plastic manufacturers who measure liquids and solids like PET, Rudolph has a Contact Presser (CP) with extra weight.

(CP) Option Suggested Application

PET: polyethylene terephthalate

Model	Specification	Features and Benefits
	J57HA – Measurement Range: 1.33 – 1.53 RI; 0 – 100% Brix Accuracy: 0.00004 RI, 0.01 Brix Electronic Temperature Control: Fixed temperature selection: 20°C and 25°C	$refractometer-chem-feature-hastelloy$ A chemical refractometer can only achieve real world accuracy if the prism is cleaned properly between samples. The flat open sample area has no corners to trap even sticky materials and is resistant to almost all solvents including Acetone, Toluene and similar organics. Choose (HA) option for HFl and HCl acids.
$J157 Refractometer$	J157-CC-AM – Measurement Range: 1.33 – 1.53 RI; 0 – 100% Brix Accuracy: 0.00004 RI, 0.01 Brix Electronic Temperature Control: Flexible temperature selection between 15°C – 50°C	DUAL TEMPERATURE CONTROL SYSTEM Unlike other temperature controlled refractometers, the J157/257/357 have temperature control from both above and below the sample. The Sample Cover is controlled to the same temperature as the prism and, when lowered, is designed to provide a temperature controlled micro environment that provides unrivaled temperature stability, fast measurement time and minimal evaporation. Depending on options, the Sample Cover can also be used to initiate measurement for your chemical refractometer. (Select AM option) $refractometer-chem-image3$ OPTIONAL CONTACT PRESSER (CP OPTION) The J157/257/357 are available with an optional Temperature Controlled Sample Presser (CP option) that touches the sample. Compared with the standard temperature controlled cover, the optional CP Presser reduces the empty volume of the measurement area thereby decreasing evaporation and at the same time helping to evenly spread semi solid materials over the measurement prism. This feature offers improved performance on many samples such as PET and Glycerine. $refractometer-chem-image4$
$Refractometer J257$	J257 – Measurement Range: 1.26 – 1.70 RI; 0 – 100% Brix Accuracy: 0.0001 RI; 0.1 Brix Electronic Temperature Control: Flexible temperature selection between 15°C – 70°C
$Refractometer J357$	J357 – Measurement Range: 1.26 – 1.70 RI; 0 – 100% Brix Accuracy: 0.00004 RI; 0.03 Brix Electronic Temperature Control: Flexible temperature selection between 15°C – 100°C; TB option: allows 15°C – 110°C with one hour boost to 120°C
	Measurement Range: 1.26 – 1.72 RI; 0 – 100% Brix Accuracy: 0.00002 RI; 0.015 Brix Electronic Temperature Control: Flexible temperature selection between 10°C to 100°C with ±0.01°C reproducibility.	Rudolph’s most capable chemical refractometer. Perfect for today’s highly regulated laboratories offering full 21CFR Part 11 compliance. Rudolph Research is the first manufacturer to offer Smart Measure™a system that notifies the operator of the quality and status of the sample load, as well as the sample well status. This assists the operator in producing more accurate readings, and actually documenting that the sample was properly loaded. The J457 is available in 3 configurations J457 SC – Standard Bench-top, J457 WC – Wall Mount, and the J457 FC – Factory Configuration. These configurations allow the measurement unit to be isolated from the display unit, thus protecting it from harsh environments and messy spills.