Refractometer PCE-ABBE-REF2

Abbe refractometer for precise measurement of refractive index and sugar content /

Thermometer included / Temperature control of the prism holder possible /

For the analysis of fats, oils, paints, varnishes, foodstuffs and chem. substances

With the Abbe refractometer you get a measuring device for fast and precise determination of the refractive index nD between 1.300 and

1.700. The Abbe refractometer also measures the sugar content of translucent liquids, dispersions, emulsions or other substances. Using the

supplied thermometer, the refractive index can be determined for a temperature range of 0 ... +70 °C. In order to control the temperature of

the device, adapters for water hoses are attached to both sides of the Abbe refractometer on the upper and lower prism holders, which allow

temperature control by means of an external thermostat. With this Abbe refractometer you can e.g. carry out an exact determination of the

sugar content in the range 0 ... 95% (1.333 ... 1.531). The area of application is much wider: measurement and analysis of fats, oils, paints,

varnishes, foodstuffs, chemical substances, alcohol and solvents.

How does an Abbe refractometer work?

A refractometer serves as a measuring device with which you can determine the refractive index. This works with both liquid and solid

substances, as long as they are transparent, with the help of refractometry. After the sample has been applied to the refractometer, special

optics in the refractometer create opposite light-dark fields, the borderline between the two fields is the measurement result of the sample.

Roughly speaking, one can differentiate between three measuring methods of a refractometer:

Transmitted light

Grazing incidence

Total reflection

For this purpose, the refraction, i.e. the refraction or total reflection of the light and its physical properties are used. The common denominator

of the three measuring principles presented is the measuring prism with a known refractive index. Light has the property that it does not move

at the same speed at the transition between the measuring prism and the sample medium, but propagates at different speeds. The unknown

refractive index of the medium to be measured is measured via the light deflection.

With the transmitted light principle, a parallel beam of light is refracted at the interface between the two media.  

In the case of grazing incidence and total reflection, the critical angle of a beam is

  measured with different angles of incidence on the interface.