Before Sending Us Your Samples

Measurement requests should be submitted on https://app.momentum-transfer.com. You'll receive the shipping address only after your request has been reviewed and accepted. To ensure a smooth and efficient shipping process, we've outlined the necessary steps below. Please follow these instructions carefully, and don't hesitate to contact us if you need any assistance.

Instructions for Preparing Samples

When sending samples to us, a few considerations can help ensure the process runs smoothly.

Sample form and pre-preparation

Be sure that your samples are compatible with our measurements.

X-ray powder diffraction and scattering are versatile methods that can provide useful information on lots of different kinds of samples. However, to ensure great data quality, you should ensure that your samples are of a suitable form for our sample geometry:

• micronized powders

powder with particle sizes > 100 nm. Individual crystallites should ideally be not larger than 1-5 microns. Consider milling and/or sieving powders with much larger crystallite sizes.

• nanosized powders

powder with particle sizes < 100 nm

• polycrystalline or amorphous solids

solid piece of material, e.g. an alloy or polymer. It should be amorphous or fine-grained, not a single crystal. The solid needs to either be pre-sized to fit into the sample wells or we need to be able to cut it. It should be 1 mm thick or less. If you plan to send polycrystalline or amorphous solid samples, the dimensions must be cut or formed to fit into our sample holders. Please send us a message to discuss.

• semi-solids

highly malleable or soft solids, e.g. gels, waxes, pastes, creams, foams, etc.

• liquids/suspensions

this is possible, although our current sample holders are not ideal for liquids. Please send us a message to discuss.

Sample amount

Send a sufficient volume of material so that we can completely fill the sample holder wells.

We typically recommend sending a minimum of 30-50 mg of the sample, if possible. It’s always better to err on the side of more, especially when dealing with materials that are statically charged, as it makes loading easier. If your samples have a very low density, it might be that even 20 or 10 mg is plenty sufficient.

In fact it is actually the volume that is important: samples must fill a well 2.5 mm diameter x 1 mm thickness.

Examples of recommended containers and minimum required volume are shown below.

Containers and labeling

Use one of the recommended types of containers.

• transparent glass or plastic containers (e.g. small glass vials or Eppendorfs)
• minimum of 5 mm opening aperture
• not longer than 5 cm
• use printed labels corresponding to the sample-IDs used in your measurement request
• contents should be visible (i.e. labels should not cover the whole outer surface)

Please use printed labels so samples can be easily identified. We admit that even our own handwriting is often difficult to read. If you cannot print, please write legibly.

Air-sensitive samples

For samples that require handling in a glovebox, the container should be able to withstand medium vacuum conditions during the purging of the antechamber. See further details here.

Self-Prepared Samples

Please see the sample preparation guide here for further instructions on loading your materials.

Packaging

When shipping sample holders to us, we recommend to use stiff packaging, with plenty of padding around the sticks to avoid breakage while in transit. Ne sample holder should not be able to shuffle around or be torqued or bent. Please use additional containment around the holder in the unfortunate case of sample leakage.

Documentation

So that we can easily identify your samples, please include the sample list from your measurement request together with a description of any special handling requests, if necessary, with your samples. These details should also be submitted with your measurement request.

Shipping address

You will receive the shipping address by email and in our web app: https://app.momentum-transfer.com, once your measurement request is approved.

Shipping from outside the European Economic Community (EEC)

If you send the samples from a country outside the European Economic Community area, customs services may ask us for additional documents, specifically a pro forma invoice corresponding to the contents of your shipment. 

Please prepare a pro forma invoice and attach it to the outside of your package. Please also send us a copy via email to ensure a smooth processing of the shipment.

An example of the pro forma is provided below. Download an editable Word document here.