Benchtop particle characterization

Investigating particle count, size distribution and particle concentration

Are you interested in:

Whether you are manufacturing semiconductors or producing pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or biotech formulations, time-resolved measurement of your product’s particle parameters with the BRAVE benchtop analyzers helps you safeguard your product quality – and gives you valuable data to improve your production processes.

For research and product development, the BRAVE devices give you a fast track to better understanding particle sysstems and the processes at work in your samples. 

Brave Analytics - Brave B-Curious Rack

Choose your sizing range

There is a BRAVE benchtop setup to suit your requirements. Are you looking to investigate small (nano)particles or larger particles? 

The continuous in-flow OF2i® measurement with single-particle accuracy provides detailed insights into all the particle populations of your sample and allows you to track changes in particle size and particle concentrations so as to keep on top of e.g. homogenization steps and other processes involving strict requirements for particle size distribution.

And prepare to be surprised: conventional methods of particle analysis like DLS, NTA or Laser Diffraction only show a fraction of what the patented OF2i® method reveals. With OF2i® you will get a better understanding of your particles’ sizes and behavior, and learn more about the processes involved.

Keep on top of changes in your particle systems and take the guesswork out of e.g. fermentation or emulsification processes. With data from BRAVE B-Curious you can detect and take advantage of the ideal time to stop a process in order to get the best end product and avoid costly mistakes during production. 

Working alongside BRAVE B-Curious to deliver complementary insights, this additional module opens the door to observing small particles down to 5 nm.  

As it delivers data points every second, the BRAVE B-Aware module is ideal for monitoring the behavior of particle systems which tend to agglomerate quickly. If you want to stop a process before monomers suddenly become too many dimers, trimers or fibrils, monitoring the particle count and particle concentration continuously and in real-time is now reality.

BRAVE B-Curious particle analyzer with optional module BRAVE B-Aware for extended analysis on small particles

Brave B-Curious - Sensormodul und Bildschirm mit H.A.N.S. Screen

Strengths of BRAVE particle analyzers

  • Disrupt conventional approaches to particle sizing:
    these benchtop particle analyzers bring a previously unseen capability for continuous measurement on sample in a flow-through cell

  • Save you time:
    you get results quicker than with conventional methods

  • Provide deeper insights:
    measure continuously to track changes in real-time; proven throughput up to 1000 particles/minute, measurement over minutes up to hours

  • Deliver results you can trust:
    reproducible and 100 % representative results, even for complex, polydisperse systems

  • Take the pain out of cleaning:
    an automated self-cleaning cycle cleans the device in just 30 seconds

  • Strengthen your QC:
    the BRAVE particle analyzers are built for the lab to immensely improve your quality control routines

  • Are made to scale up:
    using the same measuring principles and routines, the BRAVE particle analyzers complement the PAT sensors for direct production monitoring

BRAVE B-Curious vs. BRAVE B-Aware

  • BRAVE B-Curious:
    benchtop particle analyzer for particle size and particle concentration measurement and continuous, time-resolved nanoparticle characterization

  • BRAVE B-Aware module:
    benchtop nanoparticle analyzer for particle concentration measurement and continuous determination of particle count

  • BRAVE B-Curious:
    particle detection range 50 nm* to 5 µm* (*sample-dependent)

  • BRAVE B-Aware module:
    particle detection range 5 nm* to 50 nm* (*sample-dependent)

  • BRAVE B-Curious:
    uses the patented OptoFluidic Force Induction (OF2i®) principle for particle sizing

  • BRAVE B-Aware module:
    uses Single-Particle Light Scattering (SPLS) for detecting small particles

  • BRAVE B-Curious + BRAVE B-Aware module:
    combining both technologies in a single measurement gives you multiple insights into your sample composition and behavior

how to decide

Do you need particle size distribution (PSD) values?

>> BRAVE B-Curious

Are you interested in sample behavior such as dissolution, dissociation, condensate formation, crystallization and protein-protein interactions? >> BRAVE B-Curious (or BRAVE B-Aware for small particles)

Do you want to detect the onset of aggregation, agglomeration or other process? >> BRAVE B-Aware

Do you want to detect ultra-low particle concentrations (a few particles per milliliter)? >> BRAVE B-Curious

Do you need particle sizing with single-particle sensitivity? >> BRAVE B-Curious

Stop out-of-spec production happening

Whether you are manufacturing medical formulations, cosmetics or semiconductor wafers what really hurts is to waste valuable time and resources on out-of-spec product. Directly monitoring production with the option to respond to negative changes immediately is essential. This may be via a PAT sensor or implementing reliable QC in the lab or at-line.
Turnaround time is critical. BRAVE devices deliver the right results quickly.

Keep pace with developments - and outrun your competitors

Investing in new technology with more depth of analysis is a good way to keep ahead of the competition. The future is here before you know it. 

Previously unseen capabilities of BRAVE devices:

Take the guesswork out of fermentation processes

Don't let a batch spoil while waiting for results from the lab. Connect a BRAVE particle device to your reactor and analyze a few microliters per hour to instantly get a window into cell growth and protein expression.
You can now make informed decisions about the best time to harvest, minimize product heterogeneity and aggregation levels.
BRAVE devices deliver the right results to keep you in the loop.

Groundbreaking research?

BRAVE particle characterization in academia

The BRAVE particle analyzers give you a new in-depth, single-particle analysis with the capability to monitor sample behavior as it happens in the flow cell. Besides the standard generated measuring report you also get access to the raw data and live stream video. We can advise on how to interpret data, just get in touch. See how our devices are involved in groundbreaking research in the field of nanoparticle characterization

The brave side of pioneering research

One platform, many solutions

We built the BRAVE modular platform, so you can configure it to perfectly suit your needs. Our experts will work together with you on a custom-tailored setup. Typically, BRAVE B-Curious will be the base station. You add modules as you require – with the possibility of future upgrades and additional modules at a later date. For scale-up into 24/7 production monitoring, we also provide PAT sensors. 

Brave B-Curious - Sensormodul und Bildschirm mit H.A.N.S. Screen

The BRAVE modules

Time-resolved PSD and particle sizing

Allows the monitoring of PSD continuously and directly out of containers. Ideal for monitoring agglomeration, formation, dissolution, aggregation, dissociation, self-assembly and more. Size range: 50 nm* to 5 µm* (*sample-dependent)
>> BRAVE B-Curious

Particle concentration and particle counts

Allows the detection of small particles from approx. 5 nm to 50 nm. Gives insight into agglomeration and aggregation behavior.
>> BRAVE B-Aware module

Large-particle tails & PFAT5

Allows the detection and sizing of large-particle tails, LPC, large aggregates and anomalies. Also for PFAT5 detection. Size range: 50 nm* to 80 µm* (*sample-dependent)
>> BRAVE B-Phat module or standalone device

Raman analytics

Allows the detection, identification and analysis of particle populations via Raman spectroscopy.
>> BRAVE B-Elementary module

Modules for sample handling

To make your life easier, use the BRAVE modules for automatic sample handling and sample dilution.
>>BRAVE B-Prepared & Fluid Automation Unit

PAT solutions

For 24/7 production monitoring BRAVE Analytics provides custom-tailored online solutions.
>> BRAVE PAT sensors

H.A.N.S. - the software for BRAVE B-Curious

Let us introduce you to H.A.N.S. (High-throughput Analysis Nano-characterization Software) installed on our BRAVE devices. H.A.N.S. is named after Hans, a lab technician at the Medical University of Graz who helped manually count particles during the early development phase (Thanks, Hans!). Just like the real Hans, the H.A.N.S. software is structured and straightforward. All workflows are intuitive to use. The software allows individual application and method development and comes with preset and definable device parameters.

Brave Analytics - Aufnahme von Bildschirm samt H.A.N.S. Software Screen

Neat and complete analysis with H.A.N.S.

The H.A.N.S. is responsible for three main control assets:

H.A.N.S. supports you with:

Messprotokoll BRAVE Analytics
Brave Analytics - Graph zu Methodenvergleich OF2iBrave Analytics - Graph zu Methodenvergleich OF2i

Too good to be true?

A continuous measurement in a lab instrument?
Single-particle sensitivity?
Additional SPLS or Raman analysis?
You’ve never heard of it before and yet the real-time insights from this new approach could save you money and greatly improve your particle processes. Check out how our BRAVE devices are helping these customers in research and industry. For more information, contact us or book a live demonstration and we will answer all your questions.

You are just one click away from revolutionizing your particle sizing!

BRAVE B-Curious compared to conventional methods for particle size measurement

A number of methods for particle characterization are available. These all have their advantages and disadvantages and are suited for different areas of application. BRAVE B-Curious with the patented OF2i® method has a number of advantages over conventional approaches.

BRAVE B-CURIOUS vs Laser diffraction

Laser diffraction is one of the most commonly used methods for particle characterization in the laboratory, mainly because it is so versatile. However, laser diffraction does have some drawbacks. Using the OF2i® principle brings the following benefits compared to laser diffraction.

BRAVE B-CURIOUS vs TEM oder SEM

Electron microscopes deliver impressive high-resolution images. Despite offering in-depth analysis, BRAVE B-Curious still has benefits compared to this method of particle analysis.

BRAVE B-CURIOUS vs NTA

If you are used to measuring your samples with Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis, OF2i® brings you the following benefits:

BRAVE B-CURIOUS vs DLS

If you are used to analyzing particles with Dynamic Light Scattering, you can look forward to next-level results and benefits such as: