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MOCON UNVEILS WVTR INSTRUMENT FOR ULTRA-HIGH BARRIER FILMS WITH GREATER SENSITIVITY
Posted on 25/03/2013
by Phil Neal
MOCON, Inc., the world’s leading manufacturer of permeation and package integrity instrumentation, is launching a new system to measure the water vapour transmission rate (WVTR) of ultra-high barrier films with greater sensitivity than ever before possible.
The new generation AQUATRAN® Model 2 WVTR measurement instrument targets commercial or developmental ultra-high barrier structures for flexible films in organic light-emitting display (OLED), solar and similar demanding applications, which require accurate and extremely sensitive instrumentation tobuild performance statistics.
The AQUATRAN® Model 2 uses proprietary technology to accurately and repeatably measure WVTR down to 5 x 10 -5 g/m 2/ day. This is one order of magnitude lower than its very successful predecessor the Model 1 which was launched in 2005. The Model 2 uses propriety technology to increase sensor sensitivity and reduce the possibility of ambient humidity interfering with test results. Further, the AQUATRAN® Model 2 is the only system available for measuring trace WVTR that is not calibration dependent, providing more accurate and repeatable results than calibration dependent methods.
The AQUATRAN Model 2 utilizes MOCON’s newest AquaTrace® Gold coulometric longer-life sensor which is based on Faraday’s Law.Every water molecule entering the sensor is directly converted to a measureable charge. No calibration is necessary, assuring an accurate test result. Transient data also is quantifiable and can be viewed during or after the test. (Analysis of transient data can yield important information about an OLED structure such as detecting defects and voids in the applied coatings.)
Additional enhancements to the AQUATRAN® Model 2 include improved electronics; enhanced block and valve design, and the introduction of Tru-Seal technology which reduces seal edge leaks due to ambient humidity. The AQUATRAN® Model 2 is available in two versions.The G system operates between 35 and 90 % relative humidity (RH) and a temperature range of 10 to 40 °C. The W version offers 100 % RH and a temperature range 10 to 50 °C.