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BPT Mobile bubble pressure tensiometer

KRÜSS

BPT Mobile Bubble Pressure Tensiometer provides a one-click check of the surfactant content in baths and monitors surface tension changes while dosing.
Manufacturer KRUSS
Product Series KRUSS Tensiometer
Measurement principle Dynamic surface tension using the Laplace pressure of a gas bubble at a capillary in a liquid
Application Surface Tension – Contact Angle
Sample type Surfactant, detergent and wetting agents
Temperature range 0 to 100 °C
Min. recommended sample volume 15 mL
Range (surface tension) 10 to 100 mN/m (resolution 0.1 mN/m)

The KRUSS BPT Mobile determines the surfactant content by analysing the dynamic surface tension (SFT) of a liquid. Measurements of the dynamic surface tension can be used to determine the concentration of cleaning or wetting agents in industrial baths. This mobile solution works independently from a computer and provides results within a few seconds, which is a particularly useful for quality control (QC) applications.

The cleaning or wetting effect of an industrial bath is dependent on the concentration of free surfactants, which decreases over time due to the contamination of the bath or adsorption on a surface. The dynamic SFT reacts very sensitively to changes of the surfactant concentration which then allows the BPT Mobile to make bubble pressure measurements that accurately reflect the bath’s quality. The BPT works by measuring the maximum internal pressure of a gas bubble which is formed in a liquid by means of a capillary.

The BPT Mobile works independently using the integrated touch screen which can be recharged via USB and even responds when laboratory gloves are in use. Users are able to quickly take measurements and determine if a value lies within a defined quality range. Automatic graphing outline the surfactant contents’ tendencies over a set amount of time for easy interpretation. Predictions can be made as to when additional dispensing will be required or if the bath will need to be refreshed. The “continuous” mode, makes it possible to monitor the changes in surface tension while dispensing a surfactant.

The BPT Mobile instrument uses low cost, disposable capillaries for air bubble creation during bubble pressure measurements which makes the cleaning more convenient & reduces the chance of contamination in the sample to be analysed.  The temperature for each data point can be documented thanks to a removable temperature sensor. Up to 20 million results can be stored locally and if necessary, the instrument can be connected to a computer, during which time it behaves like a mass storage device, in order to export measurements to Excel with one click.

Resources

KRUSS BPT Mobile allows users to:

  • Check the surfactant content on site
  • Measure surface tension using the internal pressure of a bubble at an immersed capillary.
  • Continuously measure surface tension while changing the concentration
  • Determine surface tension dependent on surface age between 10 and 30000 ms.

Checking the content of cleaner or wetting agent in a bath is an important QC task in many industrial processes:

  • Cleaning as a preparation step before coating or bonding
  • Electroplating
  • Coating of solar cells
  • Etching, e.g. for circuit boards

What measurement principle does the BPT Mobile use to determine surface tension?

The BPT Mobile measures dynamic surface tension using the Laplace pressure of a gas bubble formed at a capillary submerged in a liquid. The instrument detects the maximum internal pressure of the gas bubble as it forms, which is directly related to the surface tension of the liquid at a defined surface age. This approach captures the dynamic (time-dependent) surface tension, which reflects how quickly surfactants migrate to a newly created surface — information that static methods cannot provide.

How does the BPT Mobile determine surfactant concentration in process baths?

The BPT Mobile determines surfactant concentration by analysing the dynamic surface tension of the bath liquid. Because dynamic surface tension changes predictably with surfactant concentration, the instrument can translate a surface tension reading directly into a concentration value within seconds of immersing the capillary. This is suited for industrial bath monitoring in applications such as electroplating, solar cell coating, circuit board etching, and pre-coating cleaning baths.

What are the measurement range and surface age capabilities of the BPT Mobile?

The BPT Mobile measures surface tension from 10 to 100 mN/m with a resolution of 0.1 mN/m, across surface ages between 10 and 30,000 ms. It operates across a liquid temperature range of 0 to 100 degrees C, and a removable temperature sensor is included for temperature documentation alongside each surface tension measurement. A minimum sample volume of 15 mL is recommended.

What type of capillaries does the BPT Mobile use?

The BPT Mobile uses low-cost, disposable capillaries rather than costly permanent ones. Disposable capillaries can be inserted and ejected in seconds, eliminating the cleaning and maintenance burden of permanent capillary systems and reducing contamination risk between measurements — an important consideration when testing different bath chemistries in industrial quality control settings.

Can the BPT Mobile be used without a connected computer?

Yes. The BPT Mobile operates entirely independently from a computer and from a fixed power supply. It is recharged via USB and controlled through an integrated touchscreen that responds to input even when laboratory gloves are worn. Results are available within seconds and can be stored locally. When connected to a computer, measurements can be exported to Excel with one click.

What industrial processes is the BPT Mobile specifically designed for?

The BPT Mobile is designed for quality control of process baths in industrial manufacturing. Specific applications include detergent concentration monitoring in pre-coating and pre-bonding cleaning baths, wetting agent concentration in electroplating baths, acid mist mitigating agent concentration in electrolyte baths, coating bath quality control in solar cell manufacturing, and etching bath monitoring in circuit board production.

Can I have a demonstration or free trial of the BPT Mobile?

Yes, if a system is available. Contact us for a booking. We can arrange a personalised demo and test your samples within our lab facility in Sydney. Onsite free trials are also available. Contact us or complete a request a demo form to get started.

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