The results of the innovative application are now available in black and white - in the form of a review article in the renowned scientific journal "Nano Letters". In it, a team of physicists from the University of Graz, Med Uni Graz and TU Graz as well as the company BRAVE Analytics summarise their five years of work. "By carrying out simulations and comparing experimental data with samples from industry, we have confirmed the functioning characterisation and analysis of nanoparticles," explains Marko Šimić from the Institute of Physics at the University of Graz.
Against production errors in cosmetics or medicines
The technology is an instrument called "Optofluidic Force Induction (OF2i)", developed by the spin-off company BRAVE Analytics. "It is more of a platform that uses sensors and five different methods to analyse liquids," explains Šimić. Together with the other authors Christian Neuper, Raphael Hauer, Karin Griesmair, Christian Hill and Ulrich Hohenester, Šimić has described how the methods work.
Co-author Hill, biophysicist and CEO of BRAVE Analytics, explains: "All sensors can be read in parallel, which enables simultaneous access to most of the data for the same particle."
Šimić adds that this allows the size, type and composition of tiny particles in the size spectrum between five nanometres and 100 micrometres to be determined in real time. These can creep into cosmetics or medicines due to production errors, for example, and then cause irritation even in very low concentrations, such as in eye sprays.
Christian Hill is convinced of the range of possible applications: "The technology can be used in areas such as infusions, medicines and vaccinations, but also in the semiconductor industry and environmental analysis."