As Indonesia’s industrial and scientific sectors continue to expand, the need for accurate, reliable, and efficient particle characterisation has never been greater. From pharmaceuticals and food processing to mining, chemicals, and environmental research, understanding particle size distribution plays a vital role in ensuring product quality, performance, and consistency. To meet these growing demands, Indonesian laboratories are increasingly turning to advanced particle size analysis techniques that offer faster measurements, higher precision, and deeper insights into material properties.
Why Advanced Particle Size Analysis Matters
Particle size directly influences a wide range of physical and chemical properties, including solubility, stability, flowability, bioavailability, texture, reactivity, and filtration efficiency. In industries such as pharmaceuticals or cosmetics, even small deviations in size distribution can affect the final product’s functionality. Similarly, in mining and cement production, particle size controls efficiency in processes such as grinding, separation, and material handling.
Modern laboratories in Indonesia require techniques that not only provide accurate measurements but also support high throughput, automation, and compliance with both local and international standards. This shift towards advanced technologies enables companies to maintain competitive advantage while meeting stringent quality expectations.
1. Laser Diffraction Analysis
Laser diffraction has become one of the most widely adopted advanced techniques in Indonesian laboratories due to its speed, ease of use, and broad measurement range—from nanometres to millimetres.
How It Works
The technique measures particle size by analysing the scattering pattern of a laser beam as it passes through a dispersed sample. Larger particles scatter light at smaller angles, while smaller particles scatter at wider angles. This data is then processed using mathematical models such as Mie or Fraunhofer theory.
Key Advantages
- Rapid measurements, often within seconds
- High repeatability and accuracy
- Suitable for both wet and dry dispersion
- Large dynamic range
Laser diffraction is especially popular in food, cement, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries across Indonesia, where batch consistency and throughput are essential.
2. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS)
For laboratories focused on nano-sized materials, Dynamic Light Scattering remains a preferred technique. It measures particle sizes typically in the range of 1 nm to 1 µm, making it ideal for applications in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and advanced materials research.
How DLS Works
DLS monitors fluctuations in the intensity of scattered light caused by the Brownian motion of particles in suspension. These fluctuations are used to determine the hydrodynamic diameter of nanoparticles.
Why Indonesian Laboratories Use DLS
- Excellent for analysing proteins, polymers, liposomes, and nano-emulsions
- Non-destructive measurement
- High sensitivity to very small particle sizes
With the rise of nanotechnology research in Indonesian universities and private R&D facilities, DLS has become indispensable.
3. Image Analysis Techniques
Modern image analysis systems provide direct visualisation of particles, making them valuable for industries where shape, morphology, and particle uniformity matter as much as size.
Applications
- Pharmaceuticals (tablet uniformity, powder shape)
- Mining (ore characterisation)
- Agriculture (fertiliser particle shape)
- Construction materials (sand, aggregates)
Benefits
- Provides both qualitative and quantitative data
- Captures shape descriptors such as roundness, aspect ratio, and surface roughness
- Suitable for irregular or non-spherical particles
Advances in camera resolution and AI-based image processing have dramatically improved accuracy, enabling Indonesian laboratories to adopt this technique for routine analysis.
4. Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA)
Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis has gained traction in Indonesia’s biotechnology and environmental sectors due to its ability to individually track nanoparticles in real time.
How It Works
NTA visualises nanoparticles using a laser-illuminated microscope and tracks their Brownian motion frame by frame. This allows for particle-by-particle size measurement rather than ensemble averaging.
Advantages
- High resolution for polydisperse samples
- Real-time particle movement analysis
- Suitable for extracellular vesicles, viruses, colloids, and environmental nanoparticles
NTA is becoming increasingly valuable for water quality monitoring and nanomedicine development in Indonesia.
5. Sedimentation Techniques
Although sedimentation is a more traditional method, modern advancements such as analytical centrifugation have made it faster and more reliable.
Why It’s Still Relevant
- Ideal for fine particles (0.1–300 µm)
- Suitable for coatings, ceramics, and minerals
- Provides density and settling behaviour data
New automated sedimentation analysers offer higher precision and shorter measurement times, keeping this technique relevant for industrial laboratories.
6. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) for Crystallite Size
While XRD is mainly used for phase identification, it also allows determination of crystallite size in nanomaterials through peak broadening analysis.
Key Uses in Indonesia
- Material science research
- Cement analysis
- Battery and semiconductor research
- Mining and mineralogy
As Indonesia invests more in advanced materials and renewable technologies, XRD continues to grow in importance.
Choosing the Right Technique for Your Laboratory
Different industries have different requirements, and Indonesian laboratories must consider factors such as particle size range, sample type, throughput, precision, and budget. Many laboratories integrate multiple techniques to build a complete particle profile.
Key Selection Criteria
- Measurement range
- Accuracy and repeatability
- Sample compatibility
- Operational cost and maintenance
- Automation and data analysis capabilities
Investing in the right particle size analyser ensures operational efficiency, compliance with quality standards, and long-term reliability.