Description du projet
Voir la lumière dans les liquides troubles permet de caractériser leurs constituants
Lorsque les scientifiques tentent d’identifier les constituants de liquides turbides, la lumière des spectrophotomètres actuels se disperse dans le milieu, comme dans un palais des glaces, rendant toute mesure impossible ou entachée d’erreurs. Les méthodes actuelles permettant de résoudre les problèmes de diffusion impliquent des techniques de dilution fastidieuses qui altèrent l’échantillon d’origine. En outre, ces techniques se révèlent insuffisantes lorsque l’on s’intéresse non seulement aux constituants mais également à leurs concentrations, comme c’est le cas dans de nombreuses applications environnementales et médicales. Le projet Modu-Spectro, financé par l’UE, examinera la commercialisation de leur technologie innovante qui promet une analyse plus rapide, plus précise et plus fiable des liquides turbides tout en préservant l’échantillon. Cette technologie améliorera les capacités des applications actuelles et ouvrira la porte à de nombreuses nouvelles applications.
Objectif
The ability to analyse compounds within turbid/scattering liquids is very important in fields related to Environmental monitoring, Medical analysis, Pharmaceutical testing and Food processing. However, for turbid liquids that include dirty water, blood, milk as well as unfiltered beer, wine, oils etc, unwanted multiple scattering effects occur, preventing any measurement or introducing large errors. Thus, current commercially available spectrophotometers are not capable of measuring within such liquids and time-consuming dilution procedures are required (when possible), ultimately modifying the properties of the probed liquid. In this proposal, we will explore the possibility of commercializing a new spectrophotometer where unwanted effects from multiple light scattering are efficiently suppressed.
The instrument prototype used here is called Modu and is based on a new technology developed by the PI and his teams during the “Spray-Imaging” ERC-Starting Grant project. This technology is based on the use of a spatially modulated polychromatic light sheet (PCT pending) imaged from the side. This approach differs significantly from the transmission measurement commonly used in spectrophotometry. From some initial testing, it is found that the suggested technique provides fast, yet more accurate and reliable, characterization of turbid liquids, without the need for dilution. The proposed technology offers, then, a new solution to a variety of industrial problems including concentration measurements in turbid water and pharmaceuticals without any calibration; as well as assessing the colour and haze of unfiltered beverages such as beer, while keeping the sample intact. Thus, the technology and optical instrument proposed here is opening doors for a vast variety new measurement possibilities, including inline monitoring of turbid liquids.
Champ scientifique
Programme(s)
Régime de financement
ERC-POC - Proof of Concept GrantInstitution d’accueil
22100 Lund
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