Microspheres Online

Everything about microspheres and research utilizing precision spherical particles.

3 Scenarios When Density of Microspheres Matters in Research

Does Density of Microspheres Matter for Fluid Suspension?

When is the density of microspheres important? Density of microspheres controls the buoyancy of each particle and its behavior in a system or process. Let’s look at three scenarios: (1) suspension of microspheres in a specific fluid, (2) fluid flow, performing flow visualizations, or particle image velocimetry, and (3) simulation or modeling of objects with specific density.

Particle Dispersion Experiments in Plant Canopies

UV Fluorescent Tracer Microspheres

Fluorescent Microspheres in Particle Dispersion Experiment Fluorescent microspheres produced by Cospheric LLC were used as part of ongoing work to to conduct particle dispersion experiments in plant canopies and study the mechanisms of fungal epidemiology in vineyards. The University of Utah in collaboration with USDA Labs in Corvallis, OR performed five field particle dispersion campaigns … Read more

Fluorescent Glass Microspheres

Fluorescent Red Coated Soda Lime Glass Microspheres

Solid glass microspheres hemispherically coated with fluorescent coatings, a fluorescent coating is precisely applied to half of the core sphere, making the glass spheres appear colorful and fluorescent at daylight and exhibit bright fluorescent response under UV light.

PIV Seeding – Microparticle Recommendations

Flow Visualization can best be accomplished with colored or fluorescent tracing particles of the same density as the fluid being studied. Very bright fluorescent micro-particles are available in densities of 1g/cc these offer not only bright testing under daylight conditions, but also the option of illumination with lasers or uv lights for increased system contrast.

Density Marker Beads

Materials of Microspheres

Density marker beads offer enable excellent stratification, and bright coloration for high visibility with the unaided eye. Density marker beads of accurately known mass density are generally used as an external marker to facilitate the monitoring of the density gradient shape and range. Historically density calibration beads in the size ranges of 212-250um or 250-300um are used.

Microbeads for Fish Egg Simulation: Dispersion and Recruitment

Microbeads for Fish Egg Simulaton

Scientists who study fish require artificial micro-particles to simulate fish eggs and their behavior in water. In order to accurately simulate the fish eggs it is important to use particles of the proper size and buoyancy/density. Particles with accurate size ranges and densities are now available.

Neutrally Buoyant Particles – What Are They, What Are They Used For, How to Use Them?

Suspension of microspheres in water enables the visualization and characterization of fluid flow and testing the capability of devices to withstand particulate matter in the fluid stream, ensuring that microspheres do not settle and do not float on the surface. Most of these polymer microspheres are at least moderately opaque and clearly visible in water, clear or translucent liquids.

Phosphorescent Microspheres – Long Afterglow Particles

Phosphorescent microspheres in particle sizes 10 to 600 microns are now available from Cospheric LLC. These phosphorescent particles are 90% spherical and appear to be off-white under ordinary daylight or regular room illumination.? However, when the lights are turned off these phosphorescent particles exhibit phosphorescent yellow-green after-glow. The spheres have tight particle size distributions and … Read more

Microspheres in Medical Devices – MDDI Magazine

What are Microspheres?

The Microsphere of Influence

Published on MDDI Magazine
By: Yelena Lipovetskaya

Why Use Microspheres in Medical Devices?

Properties of Microspheres - Composition
Microspheres in Medical Devices

Microspheres are round microparticles that typically range from 1 to 1000 micron in diameter. Benefits of microspheres in medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics are well known due to the microspheres’ ability to encapsulate and deliver active materials. However, there are many other lesser known advantages and functionalities of using micropsheres in medical device design, quality control, manufacturing, and testing.

The typical manufacturing process involves the microencapsulation of a drug or an active cosmetic ingredient to protect it from the deteriorating effects of the environment or for optimal release and performance in the final product. Active ingredients are released by dissolution of the capsule walls, mechanical rupture (rubbing, pressure, or impact), melting, or digestion processes. The resulting particles are often called microcapsules, which are different from solid, non-deformable microspheres.

Solid microspheres are widely used as fillers and spacers in a variety of industries. Microspheres that are used to manufacture and test medical devices are typically solid particles that are made from robust and stable raw materials such as polymers, glass, and in some cases, ceramics. Different types and grades of microspheres are available and selected based on specific application requirements.

Solid microspheres in medical devices are often used as tracers and challenge particles. In these situations, it is beneficial to use larger microspheres with sphere diameters greater than 50 micron that are vividly colored (red, blue, black, yellow, or green), since they provide contrast with the background material and visibility to the naked eye in daylight.

Colored microspheres are typically used in the testing of filtration media and systems, vial and container cleaning evaluations, flow tracing and fluid mechanics, centrifugation and sedimentation processes, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and contamination control.

Fluorescent microspheres are recommended for applications that require the use of particles that emit distinctive colors when illuminated by UV light and offer additional sensitivity for observation through the use of microscopes, lasers, and other analytical methods. Examples include microcirculation and biological research, imaging, and flow cytometry. Fluorescent microspheres can be excited and detected by a wide range of methods and are useful as experimental particles for acoustical and optical analytical systems.

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Microspheres: Technologies and Global Markets

An extensive market research report titled Microspheres: Technologies and Global Markets was recently published by BCC Research marketing firm. The microspheres report examines the spherical microparticles used as components in many advanced materials and composites, in the healthcare and personal care industries, and in many specialty research and development applications. The report estimates the size … Read more