Important safety warning:

• Risk of compression injury:The tablet press generates enormous pressure (usually 5-15 tons) during pressurization.Never place your fingers, hands, or any body part under the pressure bar or mold.

• Splashing risk:The mold and top rod are made of hard but fragile materials such as KBr. Improper use of pressure may cause it to rupture, with fragments flying at high speeds, resulting in serious injury.Always wear goggles and a protective face mask during operation.

• Electrical risks:For electric/hydraulic tablet presses, pay attention to electrical safety and avoid circuit damage or liquid leakage.

1、 Equipment and material preparation

1. Tablet press host:Check if it is clean and if the moving parts are flexible.

2. Tablet pressing mold:Including base, top rod, and sleeve. Ensure that all components are absolutely clean, dry, and scratch free.

• Cleaning method:Usually soaked in anhydrous ethanol or acetone and ultrasonically cleaned, then dried with a silk cloth and placed in a dryer for later use.It is strictly prohibited to touch the optical working surface directly with hands.

3. Sample:Solid powder to be tested (usually 1-2 mg).

4. stroma:Usually it is dry potassium bromide (KBr) or sodium chloride (NaCl) powder (about 100-200 mg). Ensure its purity (spectral purity or analytical purity) and keep it dry.

5. Auxiliary tools:Medicine spoon, tweezers, silk cloth, gloves, goggles, sample paper, agate mortar.

6. Vacuum system:Connect the vacuum pump and mold to extract air and moisture during the tablet pressing process.

2、 Operation steps

Step 1: Sample preparation (grinding)

1. Take 1-2 mg of sample and put it together with 100-200 mg of dry KBr powderAgate mortarIn the middle.

2. Gently grind（Do not apply too much force to avoid scratching the mortar and introducing moisture）Until the mixture is uniform and delicate, presenting a texture similar to flour. The finer the grinding, the higher the transparency of the pressed sheet and the smaller the scattering.

Step 2: Fill the mold

1. Make the moldbasePlace it steadily on the workbench.

2. Translate into EnglishsleevePut it on the base.

3. Use a medication spoon to transfer all the ground mixture to the center of the sleeve.

4. Gently vibrate the sleeve or use a fine rod to spread the powder evenly, ensuring even distribution of the powder.

5. Carefully applypush rodInsert the sleeve and gently rotate it to ensure smooth contact with the powder.

Step 3: Tablet pressing

1. Connect vacuum tube:Connect the vacuum interface of the mold to the vacuum pump. Turn on the vacuum pump for about 1-2 minutes to remove air and moisture from the mold cavity. This step is crucial for obtaining high-quality spectra.

2. Place the mold:Place the entire set of molds smoothly on the tablet pressOn the central pressure plate.

3. Apply pressure:

• Manual type:Slowly and steadily press down on the handle until significant resistance is felt.Usually, the pressure should reach 8-10 tons (or the recommended value according to the equipment manual) and be maintained for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. It is strictly prohibited to use violent or impactful pressure!

• Hydraulic/Electric Type:Set the pressure value and holding time, and then start the pressurization program.

4. Pressure holding:Maintain maximum pressure for a period of time (usually 30 seconds to 2 minutes) to allow molecules to flow and align fully, forming a transparent sheet.

5. Pressure relief: Slowly and steadilyRelease the pressure (reverse the lever or relief valve) until the pressure returns to zero.

Step 4: Remove the tablet

1. Turn off and disconnect the vacuum pump.

2. Remove the entire set of molds from the tablet press and place them back on the workbench.

3. Carefully pull out the top rod. If the adhesion is too tight, aplastic rodGently push out the base from the bottom.

4. Invert the mold, and the base will fall down due to gravity. At this pointTransparent KBr tablet like glassIt will be revealed.Remember to hold the edge of the tablet by hand and do not touch the two optical surfaces.

Step 5: Machine testing and cleaning

1. Immediately place the tablet into the sample holder of the infrared spectrometer for scanning.

2. After the test is completed, immediately disassemble all components of the mold and follow the above stepsCleaning MethodClean, dry, and store in a dryer to prevent moisture absorption and corrosion.