Video - mixing and degassing LED phosphors

We just added a video to our page about the THINKY Mixing and Vacuum Degassing Machines. It demonstrates the successful mixing and dispersion of LED phosphors into a silicone resin with absolutely no air bubbles.

Difficult to mix pharmaceuticals and cosmetics?

Our Thinky mixers can give a proven solution to some of the most difficult mixing problems found in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. They will non-invasively mix materials from low viscosity to semi-solid or dry particle with in-situ vacuum degassing.

In the field of pharmaceuticals, Thinky mixers are useful for reagent research and development, the production of suspensions, and for the creation of high-performance materials such as hyaluronic acid. They are also used for the rapid compounding and production of ointments in a mere 30 seconds. Ointments, ointment and powder, cream base materials, gel materials and other compounds can all be compounded within the ointment jar eliminating clearing up processes.

In the manufacturing of cosmetic products, such as foundations, multiple pigments often need to be blended. The amount processed at one time using conventional methods normally had to be 1 kg or more for the mixing to be practical. In addition, the propeller mixers used conventionally took a long time and were unable to create simple cosmetic samples. By contrast, Thinky mixers are very effective for cosmetic colour adjustment and sample-making. The processing amount can be as small as 5 grams, which makes it possible to produce multiple samples with different compound ratios in a very short period of time. The finished products themselves are uniform in consistency and provide a smooth feel and colour for the skin.

Typically Thinky technology is suitable for foundation, lipstick, mascara, skin lotion, whiting cream, lip cream, hand cream, sunscreen cream, antiperspirant, soap, body soap, hand soap, shaving foam, aftershave lotion, shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, hair restorer, hair colour, facial cleansing foam, make-up remover, cleansing oil, cleansing pads, bath salts, air freshener, perfume, fragrance and detergent... amongst others!

We're going nano

We are going to be exhibiting at the UK NanoForum & Emerging Technologies 2009 event, 3-4 November 2009 at the London Hilton on Park Lane Hotel.

In its fourth year running, this year's annual UK NanoForum & Emerging Technologies comprises a two-day conference and exhibition bringing over 100 senior international delegates and 350 UK delegates together to network and identify potential business and collaboration opportunities.

The event includes breakout sessions covering Life Sciences & Healthcare; Energy & Environment; and Materials & Devices, to provide a platform for discussion on how nanotechnology can meet global and societal challenges. The exhibition will showcase the very best of UK nanotechnology - we will be showing our THINKY mixing equipment, which has shown success in dealing with both mixing and material preparation in the nano environment.

Solder paste conditioning

If you store your solder paste in the fridge, then you need a process for getting it onto the production line and ready to use - which means it must be at room temperature and correctly mixed. The THINKY SR-500 Solder Paste Mixer and Conditioning Machine makes this process quick and foolproof.

• It is quick, with a controlled temperature ramp-up within 10 minutes - this might takes two hours normally


• It mixes the paste to full homogeneity, without excessive heating and without air inclusion


• It avoids the problem of condensation and water absorption by the paste during warming from cold

Poor paste mixing, air bubbles and moisture can all cause solder joint failures like voids and shorts. Let us know if you would like to talk more about the THINKY SR-500.

	The mixing in of air bubbles can be seen, and the solder powder is not dispersed uniformly.
	No air bubbles are seen, and the solder powder is dispersed uniformly.

In a spin with air free mixing

We are proud to be the centrefold in today's Laboratory News, with an article about our range of THINKY mixers.

Just like a DJ working a club - when it comes to getting the perfect mix, it's all about how you spin...

Traditional methods have served for many years but mixers built on the rotary and revolution 'planetary' principle are proving themselves excellent performers.

Mixing "nano"s: nanotubes, nanofibres, nanoceramics...

In the arena of high technology and high performance materials the uniform dispersal of nano-sized particles in materials such as resin is extremely difficult work. Traditional methods have significant problems – consequently we are pleased to announce a solution in the form of the THINKY ARV-310 Mixer.

The ARV-310 and its larger capacity sibling the ARV-5000 both utilise proven Thinky planetary mixing technology with the added advantage of a vacuum environment. Their powerful acceleration enables uniform mixing as well as simultaneous dispersion and de-aerating for highly active nano-sized particles such as carbon nanotubes (CNT) or particles in epoxy or silicone, nano-ceramic in water, nanofibers in polymer, nanogold balls, yag phosphor in silicone, or for organic materials.

The Thinky ARV units are addressing the really difficult mixing problems in laboratories around the world. Their bi-directional action does not enfold air while the new vacuum environment facility removes existing air or other gases. A good example is CNT dispersion in epoxy, where compared to hand mixing the Thinky process leads to better than halving resistivity in the final material. This is a technology especially suited to small/medium laboratory type quantities.

The Thinky planetary mixing process is considered ideal for nano-polymers, ultra-fine semiconductor elements, molecular devices, biogenic materials, protein solar batteries, organic ELs, intelligent ceramics, functional materials, materials for high-technology electronic devices, carbon nanotubes, nano-carbon black, nano-composite, etc.

CNT dispersion in a viscous epoxy - SEM image (x20,000)

Degassing not foaming

In support of our THINKY Mixing and Vacuum Degassing Machines, we have added a new Technical Bulletin detailing the potential advantages with adding vacuum to the rotation and revolution mixing action of our very popular THINKY ARE-250.

One of the issues with manual degassing (placing the material in a chamber and applying vacuum, often multiple times) is that it takes time and attention. Applying too much vacuum can cause the volatiles in the material to "boil" out, and if you are not careful, the material can foam up and even overflow the container.

Any THINKY machine can degas or de-aerate without any danger of this, and automatically too!

This is not a problem if you use a THINKY mixer

Mixing it

James Kent (Ceramic Materials) Ltd had relied for many years on a manual mixing system for their research and quality control of specialist glass powders, but embarked on a search for a process solution that would be more effective, more consistent, quicker and simpler. The glass powders produced by James Kent Ltd are tailored to customer need – primarily for dental fillers and restorers, they vary from 0.5 to 10 microns average particle size. For testing purposes the glass powder needs to be mixed with a high viscosity acrylic resin monomer to check for high transparency and low discolouration – but the manual process, while well understood, continued to give problems of non-homogeneity and air inclusion, both of which preclude colour checking of the glass.

The search for an improved system led Dr Philip Frampton to the Thinky ARE-250, which incorporates both planetary mixing and centrifugal degassing in one unit.

Tests with the Thinky equipment involved mixing 60% glass with 40% acrylic by weight in viscosities varying from “thick honey to stiff bubble gum,” according to Dr Frampton. Empirical investigation supported by our advice rapidly determined suitable program parameters based on viscosity and these samples were then pressed and cured into standard £2 coin sized discs for comparison with established colour standards.

Dr Frampton explained “James Kent are one of probably only 4 or 5 companies in the world operating at the top level in this technology and we were looking to improve the mixing stage as a first step to overall improvement of our glass grinding process. Intertronic’s expertise and supply of the Thinky mixer has allowed us to achieve that initial goal in a single operation – so now we have a reliable quality control process we can move to purchase of a spectro-photometer. This will enable us to refine our operation further toward development of an even cleaner and finer grinding process.”

The mixing of glass and ceramic powders into resins is a perfect job for a Thinky mixer!

Getting the gas out

Removing air bubbles from materials like epoxies and inks which you mix up yourself can be an irritation. Often some form of vacuum chamber is used to degas the mixture - it is time consuming and not easy!

One of the advantages of our Thinky ARE-250 Mixer is that it does not put air into the material whilst mixing - and then a degassing stage can remove what's left (down to micron levels). The planetary action mixes quickly and completely. The degassing mode is more effective than a simple centrifuge.

An epoxy resin, approximately 250,000cps
Before processing Countless microscopic air bubbles exist (60x magnified)
After 3 minutes "Mixing Mode" Only a few size 15μm air bubbles are visible
After 2.5 minutes "Degassing Mode" No air bubbles are visible under 60x microscope

Are you troubled with gas?