International Crystal Laboratories products

At ICL, we have been producing high quality crystal optics for use in infrared spectrometers, accessories, and other analytical devices since 1962. We are the only U.S. company that produces KBr crystal, a standard component of infrared spectrometers. In house, we also produce the materials for other vital crystal optics such as KCl, NaCl, AgCl, CdMnTe, and more. We also stock a large variety of spectroscopy optics made from other essentials like CaF2, BaF2, ZnS, ZnSe, Si, BK-7, etc. Circular Discs are available in all of the common sizes, typically in the range of 20mm-50mm (for use as windows common to infrared sample cells and accessories). However, we offer a large range of sizes for various applications, from tiny plugs for microscope slides to large aperture optical viewports (100mm in diameter or more).

High refractive index material such as ZnSe creates fringing, which is also known as channeling. Fringes are useful for path length calibration, but fringes can also interfere with spectral analysis, particularly when the refractive index of the sample is not well matched to the refractive index of the sample. Fringing can occur in a single window where the light is reflected between parallel surfaces of the window and in a cell containing a pair of windows where the light is reflected off of both windows. The smaller the path length, the more dramatic the fringing effect is.

At ICL, we have been producing high quality crystal optics for use in infrared spectrometers, accessories, and other analytical devices since 1962. We are the only U.S. company that produces KBr crystal, a standard component of infrared spectrometers. In house, we also produce the materials for other vital crystal optics such as KCl, NaCl, AgBr, AgCl, CdMnTe, and more. We also stock a large variety of spectroscopy optics made from other essentials like CaF2, BaF2, ZnSe, ZnS, Si, BK-7, etc. Rectangular-shaped crystals are available in all of the common sizes frequently used in sealed liquid cells along with many other infrared sampling accessories.

Attenuated Total Refection (ATR) trapezoid prisms operate by measuring the changes that occur in a totally reflected infrared beam when the beam comes in contact with a sample. WIth the ATR method, light penetration into the sample for total reflection is dependent on the refractive index of the prism and the sample, the wavelength and also the incidence angle. ATR is the best choice for solids, gels, pastes and liquid samples.

U.S. Patent No. 5,470,757 & 5,764,355. ICL has brought back the 3M® card, which we manufacture under a license from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company. PTFE and polyethylene IR sample cards provide inexpensive disposable sample substrates for qualitative analysis. The 2" x 4" cards mount vertically in the universal slide mount in any spectrophotometer. The cards have a clear aperture of 19mm and space is provided to write on the card to identify the date of the analysis, the sample and the name of the analyst. The cards are sold in packages of 10, 25 and 50 and the polyethylene cards are also available with two sample substrates.

U.S. Patent No. 5,470,757 & 5,764,355. ICL has brought back the 3M® card, which we manufacture under a license from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company. Polyethylene IR sample cards provide inexpensive disposable sample subsrates for qualitative analysis. The 2" x 4" cards mount vertically in the universal slide mount in any spectrophotometer. The cards have two clear apertures of 19mm and space is provided to write on the card to identify the date of the analysis, the sample and the name of the analyst. The cards are sold in packages of 10, 25 and 50 and are also available with one sample substrate.

CL’s 1 & 2 Ton E-Z™ Presses feature a unique laboratory press design combined with the same unibody construction and other features common to our E-Z™ Press line. We have redesigned these laboratory presses to maximize the sensitivity of the press for exact reproducibility of applied force. Normally, hydraulic lab presses use a pump to apply pressure to the piston of the hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic fluid pump found in standard lab press designs increases the pressure of the hydraulic fluid in spurts which causes the force being applied by the press to jump in increments which are difficult to control with precision. In addition, there is some backflow of hydraulic fluid during the pumping process which amplifies the lack of reproducibility of force levels.

This press is an arbor style press which uses the same 7mm, 4mm and 2mm die sets as are utilized with ICL`s Quick Press and Port-a-Press. By placing the press on a surface at desktop height, the operator`s full upper body weight can be brought down on the press handle. Using the leverage of the handle, the pellet is formed from the pressure created on the die set by the application of force to the handle. The press weighs only 11 pounds and is easily moved around the lab.  The components that contact the die set are stainless steel.