Micromeritics 3Flex is an adsorption analyzer for the characterization of porous materials by gas and vapor sorption. The instrument is equipped with three independently operating analysis ports, all configured for micropore measurements, enabling parallel analysis of multiple samples. The system is particularly well suited for the determination of micropore size distributions, i.e. pores < 2 nm, micropore volume, measurement of very low surface areas using krypton and of course standard adsorption and desorption isotherms of porous samples to determine the specific surface area and pore characteristics of pores up to 50-100 nm in width.
The instrument is also equipped with a vapor sorption module and a thermostat, allowing measurements between 0 and 70 °C. This enables temperature-dependent adsorption studies, determination of thermodynamic quantities such as the isosteric heat of adsorption, and investigations of water or organic vapor sorption behavior under well-controlled conditions.
Available adsorptives include N2 and Ar for routine textural characterization, CO2 for the investigation of narrow micropores, and Kr for samples with very low surface areas. Additional gases, including H2, O2, and CH4, are available within the laboratory and can be accommodated for specialized studies upon request.
Typical applications include the characterization of activated carbons, zeolites, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), catalysts, porous oxides, and other functional porous materials. Data generated may include BET surface area, adsorption and desorption isotherms, micropore and mesopore size distributions, pore volume, vapor sorption isotherms, and adsorption thermodynamics.