Patent ID: 6532797
Filing Date: 2003-03-18
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A method for measuring barrier properties of a material comprising the steps of:a) positioning a sample of the material in a holding means comprising a chamber wherein the material divides the chamber into a first portion and a second portion; b) generating aerosol particles; c) generating a first gas for mixing with the aerosol; d) mixing the first gas and the aerosol particles; e) introducing the mixture of the aerosol particles and the first gas into the first portion and wherein some percentage of the aerosol particles pass through the sample from the first portion to the second portion; f) extracting from the first portion a small amount of the mixture that does not pass through the sample, g) counting the aerosol particles from (f) in a first particle counter, h) introducing a second gas through a predetermined-sized orifice into the second portion to sweep up particles that have passed through the sample; i) extracting from the second portion the mixture that passed through the sample, j) counting the aerosol particles from (i) in a second particle counter, k) comparing the number of aerosol particles determined in (g) to the number of aerosol particles determined in (j).