A02_-_Salient_Characteristics_Final.doc

Salient Characteristics

Commercial Availability Certification:

I have evaluated the commercial marketplace and determined that all of the salient characteristics documented below are available in products/services offered in the commercial marketplace.

Signature (typed name): ______Chi-Chin Wu____________________ Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) or Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)

The Particle Size Analyzer shall have the following salient characteristics:

· The analyzer shall have an automatic laser attenuation with a max power output between four (4) and 60 milliwatts (mW) and a minimum beam width of 600 nanometers (nm).

· The analyzer shall have an avalanche photodiode detector.

· The analyzer shall have the following power requirement: Alternating Current (AC) 100-240 voltage (V), 50-60 Hertz (Hz), and 4.0 Ampere (A).

· The analyzer shall have an ambient operating condition of 10-35 degrees Celsius (C) and 35 percent (%) - 80% relative humidity (RH) prior to condensing.

· The analyzer shall be able to use dry air/nitrogen for purging purpose.

· The analyzer shall utilize the Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) principle with a back scatter detection capability to measure individual populations of particles/molecules ranging from 0.3 nm to 10 micron (µm). The analyzer with DLS principle shall be able to measure the average value of particle/molecules size of the sample size and then display the size distribution curve for particles/molecules ranging from 0.3 nm to 10 micron (µm). The results must be reproducible, and cannot be skewed by a potential variable of stray particles exceeding 10µm within the population sample.

· The analyzer shall utilize the Electrophoretic Light Scattering (ELS) principle to measure the “zeta potential” for the following properties for particles/molecules in dispersion or in solution with a constant current mode to reduce errors that may be caused by electrode polarization at higher ion concentrations within the testing samples:

· The electrophoretic mobility

· The dispersion properties

· The stability and agregations The required size range of the particles/molecules: sub four (4) nm -100 µm.

· The analyzer shall have a mobility range greater than “20-6 m2/V*s ”

· The analyzer shall require a volume not to exceed 10 cubic centimeter (cm³) of the sample per cuvette for both DLS and ELS measurements and the measurement shall be non-destructive.

· The analyzer shall require a minimum sample volume of two (2) microliters (µL) for both DLS and ELS, if using a capillary cuvette. When using a non-capillary cuvette for DLS only, the required sample volume shall not be more than 10 milliliters (mL).

· The analyzer shall be able to analyze a maximum sample concentration less than 50% of the mass or weight of the solution.

· The analyzer shall have a maximum sample conductivity of 250 milisecond/centimeter (ms/cm).

· The analyzer shall have software with adaptive correlation sizing and a data quality system which will measure the particle/molecules size distribution ranging from 0.3 nm to 10 µm.

· The analyzer shall have software capable of exporting/converting raw data to other data types for analysis and plotting purposes, including, but not limited to: Comma-Separated Values (CSV), Excel, SigmaPlot, and other commonly-used, Windows-compatible software.

· The analyzer shall have software which allows end users to customize the color/font size/labels/axes, line color, and thickness of the plots for presentation and publication purposes.

· The analyzer shall have software that includes a user self-tutorial and is installable onto a Windows PC.

· The analyzer shall automatically inspect the validity of the data and provide a testing error percentage.

· The Contractor shall provide a three (3) year manufacturer’s warranty for all hardware and software.

· The Contractor shall provide at least three (3) years of preventative maintenance services to ensure the full functionality of the Particle Size Analyzer’s software and hardware. The period of performance shall run simultaneously with the manufacturer’s warranty.

· The preventative maintenance shall consist of unlimited responses to instrument breakdowns, defects, and failures. This includes, but is not limited to, unlimited technical support calls and priority response times of no more than two (2) standard business days.

· The preventative maintenance shall also consist of any necessary software upgrades to ensure full functionality of the Particle Size Analyzer.

Delivery is required four (4) - six (6) weeks After Receipt of Order (ARO). Delivery shall be made to U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Building 321 Colleran Rd., Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005. The FOB point is Destination.

Contracting Officer:

Template last updated 07/28/2016