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Strain measurement
TOOLS & TECHNIQUES UPDATE
Designing materials Supramolecular Organization and Materials Design edited by William Jones and Chintamani Rao demonstrates the importance of supramolecular chemistry and self-organization in the design and synthesis of novel organic, inorganic, and biomaterials. The bottom-up approach of supramolecular chemistry is looked at in the context of the synthesis of new materials and function-specific molecular devices. Published by Cambridge University Press (CUP), this book will be of interest to researchers and graduate students of chemistry, materials science, and physics who require a summary of the most recent developments in this field. ISBN: 0-521-66240-0 Publication: December 2001 Hardback, pp. 456 Price: $110/£70
Contact: http://uk.cambridge.org The promise of biomaterials Chitin could be the answer to a variety of needs in biomedicine. It possesses capabilities that make it suitable for use as a wound dressing, in bone substitutes, or as drug delivery carriers – properties which have evoked great enthusiasm. Chitin: Fulfilling a Biomaterials Promise, by Eugene Khor, places past promises in perspective, addresses present realities and limitations, and offers an insight into what is required for chitin, and its derivative chitosan, to fulfill its potential as a biomaterial for the 21st century. ISBN: 0-080-44018-5 Publication: October 2001 Hardback, pp. 148 Price: $123/e113.45
Contact: www.elsevier.com
Grab frames fast
(PVD). The retrofit can enhance thin film formation and
For high quality imaging, DataCell’s Phoenix board
generate advanced coatings for atomically smooth surfaces (<1 nm Ra), strong adhesion, atomic layer
provides framegrabbing at a transfer rate of up to 528 Mb/s. Particularly suited to fluorescence microscopy, the frame rate and sensitivity can be adjusted for optimum images in specific conditions. Image quality is further enhanced by operating the light sensitive chips at 0°C to reduce noise and allowing
deposition, and room temperature indium tin oxide/ITO (6 x 10 -4 ohm-cm, 90% transmittance). The retrofit kit can be installed at the shield of any size sputter cathode, including rectangular magnetron cathodes. Contact: www.skion.com
longer exposure times for low light-level imaging. On-chip binning can be manually set to increase the sensitivity and frame speed. The Phoenix framegrabber is also compatible with Hamamatsu’s latest, highresolution 3-chip CCD camera, and supports both the 32-bit/33MHz and the new 64-bit/66MHz PCI buses. Contact: www.datacell.com
Forceful thin sensor Pressurex®, from Sensor Products Inc., is a tactile force indicating sensor film that monitors the force distribution between two mating or impacting surfaces. The film is a large, thin sheet that instantaneously and permanently changes color – the intensity of which is proportional to the force applied. The precise pressure (kg/cm 2) can be determined using a color calibration chart. Assessing the compression magnitude
Samples for spectrophotometers A new sample preparation unit/autosampler from Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation is now available for use with the Z-5300 flame only and Z-5000 atomic absorption spectrophotometers. The SSC-400 can accommodate up to 80 15 ml sample tubes and up to eight 50 ml reagent vessels. Reagents can be added to the sample in volumes from 0.1-5 ml. Standards can be measured automatically and calibration curves produced. Samples can be diluted by a factor of 2-100 times and measured. The SSC-400 can also be used with the spectrophotometer’s automatic QC facility to test validity of calibration data and other parameters, ensuring reliability and accuracy of the analysis data. Contact: www.hsi-europe.com
and distribution between any two touching surfaces, this sensor is suitable for use in quality control (QC), manufacture (e.g. of fuel cells and for the calibration of machines and components) and in research applications. Contact: www.sensorprod.com
Sniffing out helium MKS Instruments Inc. announces a portable, selfcontained mass spectrometer-based leak detector measuring just 4” x 15” x 10”. The PICO™ Series uses
Ionized-PVD goes retro
an ion trap mass spectrometer and is a ‘sniffing’ style
SKION’s new retrofit kit converts conventional magnetron sputter cathodes to a negative sputter ion
helium leak detector for use with pressurized objects.
beam source for ionized physical vapor deposition
rates as low as 1 x 10 -7 atm-cc/s from pressurized lines
The detector weighs just 16 lbs and can detect leak or enclosures and from vacuum chambers. The detector has an integral vacuum system incorporating a turbomolecular pump and backing scroll pump. The touch screen interface displays current and historical helium leak rate data and features include an adjustable audio signal, three-meter probe, and ‘zero’ feature that compensates for background levels of helium. Contact: www.mksinst.com
Benchtop pumps Watson-Marlow Bredal’s Sci-Q 323 range of benchtop peristaltic pumps all feature a hygienic wipe-clean membrane keypad and integral LCD display. The
February 2002
45
Designing materials Supramolecular Organization and Materials Design edited by William Jones and Chintamani Rao demonstrates the importance of supramolecular chemistry and self-organization in the design and synthesis of novel organic, inorganic, and biomaterials. The bottom-up approach of supramolecular chemistry is looked at in the context of the synthesis of new materials and function-specific molecular devices. Published by Cambridge University Press (CUP), this book will be of interest to researchers and graduate students of chemistry, materials science, and physics who require a summary of the most recent developments in this field. ISBN: 0-521-66240-0 Publication: December 2001 Hardback, pp. 456 Price: $110/£70
Contact: http://uk.cambridge.org The promise of biomaterials Chitin could be the answer to a variety of needs in biomedicine. It possesses capabilities that make it suitable for use as a wound dressing, in bone substitutes, or as drug delivery carriers – properties which have evoked great enthusiasm. Chitin: Fulfilling a Biomaterials Promise, by Eugene Khor, places past promises in perspective, addresses present realities and limitations, and offers an insight into what is required for chitin, and its derivative chitosan, to fulfill its potential as a biomaterial for the 21st century. ISBN: 0-080-44018-5 Publication: October 2001 Hardback, pp. 148 Price: $123/e113.45
Contact: www.elsevier.com
Grab frames fast
(PVD). The retrofit can enhance thin film formation and
For high quality imaging, DataCell’s Phoenix board
generate advanced coatings for atomically smooth surfaces (<1 nm Ra), strong adhesion, atomic layer
provides framegrabbing at a transfer rate of up to 528 Mb/s. Particularly suited to fluorescence microscopy, the frame rate and sensitivity can be adjusted for optimum images in specific conditions. Image quality is further enhanced by operating the light sensitive chips at 0°C to reduce noise and allowing
deposition, and room temperature indium tin oxide/ITO (6 x 10 -4 ohm-cm, 90% transmittance). The retrofit kit can be installed at the shield of any size sputter cathode, including rectangular magnetron cathodes. Contact: www.skion.com
longer exposure times for low light-level imaging. On-chip binning can be manually set to increase the sensitivity and frame speed. The Phoenix framegrabber is also compatible with Hamamatsu’s latest, highresolution 3-chip CCD camera, and supports both the 32-bit/33MHz and the new 64-bit/66MHz PCI buses. Contact: www.datacell.com
Forceful thin sensor Pressurex®, from Sensor Products Inc., is a tactile force indicating sensor film that monitors the force distribution between two mating or impacting surfaces. The film is a large, thin sheet that instantaneously and permanently changes color – the intensity of which is proportional to the force applied. The precise pressure (kg/cm 2) can be determined using a color calibration chart. Assessing the compression magnitude
Samples for spectrophotometers A new sample preparation unit/autosampler from Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation is now available for use with the Z-5300 flame only and Z-5000 atomic absorption spectrophotometers. The SSC-400 can accommodate up to 80 15 ml sample tubes and up to eight 50 ml reagent vessels. Reagents can be added to the sample in volumes from 0.1-5 ml. Standards can be measured automatically and calibration curves produced. Samples can be diluted by a factor of 2-100 times and measured. The SSC-400 can also be used with the spectrophotometer’s automatic QC facility to test validity of calibration data and other parameters, ensuring reliability and accuracy of the analysis data. Contact: www.hsi-europe.com
and distribution between any two touching surfaces, this sensor is suitable for use in quality control (QC), manufacture (e.g. of fuel cells and for the calibration of machines and components) and in research applications. Contact: www.sensorprod.com
Sniffing out helium MKS Instruments Inc. announces a portable, selfcontained mass spectrometer-based leak detector measuring just 4” x 15” x 10”. The PICO™ Series uses
Ionized-PVD goes retro
an ion trap mass spectrometer and is a ‘sniffing’ style
SKION’s new retrofit kit converts conventional magnetron sputter cathodes to a negative sputter ion
helium leak detector for use with pressurized objects.
beam source for ionized physical vapor deposition
rates as low as 1 x 10 -7 atm-cc/s from pressurized lines
The detector weighs just 16 lbs and can detect leak or enclosures and from vacuum chambers. The detector has an integral vacuum system incorporating a turbomolecular pump and backing scroll pump. The touch screen interface displays current and historical helium leak rate data and features include an adjustable audio signal, three-meter probe, and ‘zero’ feature that compensates for background levels of helium. Contact: www.mksinst.com
Benchtop pumps Watson-Marlow Bredal’s Sci-Q 323 range of benchtop peristaltic pumps all feature a hygienic wipe-clean membrane keypad and integral LCD display. The
February 2002
45