Porometer POROLUX Revo Automated Capillary Flow Porometer

Overview

The Porometer POROLUX Revo Automated Capillary Flow Porometer is a high-precision, benchtop instrument engineered for the quantitative characterization of through-pore size distribution, bubble point, and gas permeability in porous materials. It operates on the fundamental principle of capillary flow porometry—also known as gas-liquid displacement—where a wetting liquid (typically water or isopropanol) is intruded into the pore network under controlled gas pressure. As pressure increases incrementally, the largest pores are emptied first, allowing gas to pass; subsequent pressure steps progressively empty smaller pores. By correlating volumetric gas flow rate with applied pressure, the instrument calculates pore size distribution based on the Washburn equation and calibrated capillary geometry assumptions. Designed for laboratories requiring traceable, ISO-compliant pore structure analysis, the POROLUX Revo delivers metrologically sound data for R&D, process validation, and QC release testing across regulated and non-regulated environments.

Key Features

• Patented MP² (Multi-Stage Pressure Process) technology enables true step-and-equilibrium pressure control, minimizing transient flow artifacts and enhancing resolution in the critical sub-100 nm range.
• High-fidelity pressure regulation with dual-range transducers (0–35 bar full scale) ensures stability within ±0.1% of setpoint during dwell phases, supporting reproducible bubble point determination.
• Integrated mass flow sensor with dynamic range up to 200 L/min (N₂, 25 °C, 1 atm) accommodates both low-permeability ceramics and high-flow membranes without hardware reconfiguration.
• Automated liquid saturation and purge cycles reduce operator dependency and eliminate inter-run variability associated with manual wetting protocols.
• Real-time flow-pressure curve visualization with on-the-fly derivative analysis (dQ/dP) supports immediate identification of multimodal pore populations and structural anisotropy.
• Rugged stainless-steel fluidic architecture with chemically resistant seals ensures long-term compatibility with aqueous and organic wetting liquids (e.g., FC-40, isopropanol, water).

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The POROLUX Revo accepts flat-sheet membranes (up to Ø100 mm), hollow-fiber modules (with custom fixtures), ceramic monoliths, sintered metal discs, nonwovens, specialty papers, and powder compacts—provided samples exhibit through-thickness connectivity. Its measurement methodology aligns with ASTM F316-22 (Standard Test Methods for Pore Size Characteristics of Membrane Filters by Bubble Point and Mean Flow Pore Test) and ISO 4022:2020 (Plastics — Hollow fibre membranes — Determination of bubble point and pore size distribution). Data integrity meets GLP and GMP expectations through configurable audit trails, electronic signatures, and 21 CFR Part 11–ready software options (available upon request). All calibration certificates are NIST-traceable and include uncertainty budgets per ISO/IEC 17025 requirements.

Software & Data Management

POROLUX Control Suite v5.x provides intuitive workflow-driven operation—from method setup and sample registration to automated reporting. The software implements intelligent re-evaluation algorithms that allow retrospective recalibration of raw flow-pressure datasets using updated surface tension or contact angle inputs, eliminating the need for repeat physical measurements. Export formats include CSV, PDF (with embedded metadata), and XML (for LIMS integration). Batch processing supports comparative analysis across up to 99 samples per session, with statistical overlays and confidence interval bands for inter-lot trending. Raw data files are stored with immutable timestamps and checksum verification to satisfy data retention mandates.

Applications

• Development and qualification of asymmetric polymeric membranes (e.g., PVDF, PES, PP) for pharmaceutical sterile filtration and bioprocessing.
• Quality assurance of ceramic microfiltration membranes used in food & beverage clarification and wastewater reuse systems.
• Characterization of sintered stainless-steel frits and metal fiber filters employed in high-temperature gas filtration and catalyst support applications.
• Validation of pore uniformity in electrospun nanofiber mats intended for battery separators or medical barrier fabrics.
• Root-cause analysis of membrane fouling or compaction via longitudinal pore size shift tracking over service life.
• Supporting regulatory submissions (e.g., FDA BLA, EMA MAA) with fully documented, ALCOA+ compliant pore structure evidence packages.

FAQ

What wetting liquids are supported, and how is contact angle handled?
Water, isopropanol, and fluorinated carriers (e.g., FC-40) are validated. Contact angle values are either entered manually or auto-selected from an embedded database of >80 material–liquid pairs per ASTM F316 Annex A3.
Can the POROLUX Revo measure blind pores or surface porosity?
No—it measures only through-pores capable of sustaining continuous gas flow. Blind or closed pores are not detectable by capillary flow porometry.
Is helium required for operation?
Nitrogen is the standard test gas; helium may be substituted for enhanced resolution in ultra-low-flow applications (<1 mL/min), though it requires separate calibration.
How is system suitability verified before sample analysis?
A certified reference membrane (e.g., NIST SRM 1990) is run daily or per batch to confirm repeatability, pressure linearity, and flow sensor response per internal SOP-CP-007.
Does the instrument support automated sample changers?
Yes—an optional 12-position robotic sample loader is available for unattended overnight runs, integrated directly into the software scheduling engine.