We are pleased to carry out consultancy work - recent work involves helium pycnometry for the National Physical Laboratory and mercury porosimetry for Delta T devices.

We offer world-class expertise in measuring and modelling the mercury porosimetry or water retention of porous samples. We can offer real benefits where samples are tricky to analyse, e.g. because they are compressible. Note that if you request modelling of your own experimental data, the data must be of very high quality - for example , mercury intrusion must be carried out slowly (at least 60 seconds equilibration time at each pressure), preferably in a thermostatted laboratory, and with an appropriate blank run at the same temperature and pressures. Standard ISO procedures and instructions from manufacturers do not require this, but can give un-modellable results.

All our mercury porosimetry is now carried out to ISO 9001:2008 . Our procedures passed internal audit in April 2010, and will be subject to external audit in August 2010. Helium pycnometry, powder pycnometry and surface area analysis will be partially under ISO 9001:2008 from May 2010, with the intention of bringing them totally under ISO 9001:2008.

The features of ISO 9001:2008 are:

• logging of all correspondence between client and our staff, right through from initial enquiry to final customer feedback
• a formal agreement with the customer as to exactly what is required in the job (see example)
• all measurements calibrated back to National Physical Laboratory standards of temperature, weight and pressure, with copies of calibration certificates available on request
• all measurements carried out to protocols, known as standard operating procedures or SOPs, which correspond to the manufacturers' own procedures, but in the case of porosimetry far exceed the manufacturer's requirements in term of pressure and temperature stabilization (SOPs available on request).
• all staff carrying out the work trained to appropriate levels
• logging and tracking of sample receipt, preparation and disposal
• a formal report in Adobe Acrobat pdf format as specified by the quote and SOPs, with additional information (such as spreadsheets) supplied outside ISO 9001:2008 if required and agreed
• customer feedback, with actions if required

For commercial studies, guide prices are shown below, although they may vary depending on type and number of samples to be analyzed.

Mercury Porosimetry

Price: £225 per sample.

Calibration sample - add £225. (Such calibration will soon be incorporated into the ISO 9001:2008 procedure.)

BET Surface Area Analyzer

Price: Approx. £130 per sample for surface area analysis. £150 for full adsorption / desorption isotherm up to 30 data points and 0.95 P/P0 .

Envelope and Helium Pycnometry

Price: Approx. £120 per sample

Modelling (Pore-Cor with Pore-Comp Correction)

Price: Approx. £300 per sample

All consultancy is carried out through University of Plymouth Enterprise Ltd (UPEL), the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the University of Plymouth. UPEL's terms and conditions apply to all contracts.

If this is your first enquiry, then please email G.Peter Matthews, Professor in Applied Physical Chemistry, at pmatthews@plymouth.ac.uk, or use the response form to detail your request.

If you have enquiries about contractual details on an existing contract, please email rob.clough@plymouth.ac.uk.

The UPEL address:-

University of Plymouth Enterprise Ltd

17, Portland Villas

Drake Circus

PLYMOUTH

PL4 8AA

United Kingdom

telephone: +44 (0) 1752 233500

fax: +44 (0) 1752 233505