Anton Paar launches automated oil absorption tester for battery materials

Anton Paar GmbH has launched the Brabender AbsorptoMeter, an automated system for measuring liquid and oil absorption in powders such as carbon black, pigments, silica, and battery electrode materials.

The device automates the oil absorption number (OAN) and compressed oil absorption number (COAN) testing, transitioning from manual to digital workflows to enhance repeatability, traceability, and data integration.

The system adheres to ASTM and ISO test methods and is applicable for conventional carbon black analysis, recovered carbon black (rCB), graphene, fillers, pigments, and battery raw materials. In battery development, it can perform absorption measurements using solvents like N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), allowing users to evaluate solvent demand, mixing behavior, and wettability.

Central to the system is a motor delivering up to 25 Nm of torque. A precision metering pump doses liquid into a powder sample, recording torque continuously to generate a torque curve that monitors agglomeration and consistency changes over time.

Anton Paar states the instrument can be configured for diverse materials and viscosities. Titration rates range from 0.025 mL/100 g to 100 mL/100 g, with up to four burettes connectable for multi-liquid dosing. This setup enables simulation of complex formulations and handling of liquids with viscosities up to 150,000 mPa·s, including NMP.

The system features automated start-up and cleaning routines to reduce preparation time and ensure consistent testing conditions. An integrated thermostat provides temperature control for the mixer chamber, enhancing comparability across batches and locations.

A notable feature is the integration of Anton Paar’s MetaBridge software platform. Running on an onboard PC with a touchscreen interface, the software guides users through the weighing process with direct data transfer and configurable tolerance limits. Tests initiate only when sample weights are within specified ranges.

MetaBridge synchronizes motor speed, torque acquisition, and titration flow rate in real-time. It can automatically stop a test at a predefined absorption curve point, such as maximum torque, minimizing solvent use and testing duration.

Users can monitor measurements locally or remotely via a web browser connected to the company network. Additional analytical tools include reference curve overlays and correlation analysis to compare results against specifications and identify deviations.

Test data can be exported in formats like CSV, PDF, and XML, and integrated with enterprise systems through Brabender WebAPI, shared network folders, or OPC UA connectivity.

The Brabender AbsorptoMeter supports OAN and COAN testing, featuring a database of pre-configured methods and options for custom method creation. The system complies with standards such as ASTM D2414, ASTM D3493, ASTM D6854, ISO 787-5, ISO 4656, ISO 19246, ISO 787-2, and YB/T 6139.2.