High throughput microbalance

Abstract

A method and apparatus for measurement of mass of small sample sizes. The method and apparatus is particularly adapted for providing microbalance measurement of solid materials as part of a combinatorial research program. The method and apparatus contemplate monitoring the response of a resonator holding a sample and correlating the response with mass change in the samples.

1 . A system for controlling a process including a polymer particulate, the system comprising: 
 a mechanical resonator enclosed with polymer particulate in a chamber, the mechanical resonator being a flexural resonator and the chamber enclosing the polymer particulate being adapted to flow gas,    a controller for controlling one or more environmental conditions of the chamber,    measurement hardware in signaling communication with the mechanical resonator for measuring the mass or mass change of the polymer particulate at first and second times by applying an input signal to the mechanical resonator, wherein the measurement hardware is further adapted to receive a response signal from the mechanical resonator, and is adapted to process the response signal to determine the mass or the mass change of the polymer particulate at the first and second times, the measurement hardware being in signaling communication with the controller; and    wherein the controller changes one or more environmental conditions of the chamber in response to a change in the mass of the polymer particulate between the first and second times.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the polymer particulate is an irregularly-shaped polymer particulate.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the mechanical resonator is a tuning fork resonator.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein there are a plurality of mechanical resonators in an array, each of the plurality of mechanical resonators being adapted for contacting polymer in the chamber.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  further comprising software for controlling the measurement hardware, the software being programmed with location information for the plurality of mechanical resonators.