Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the moisture in materials is provided. The apparatus allows the accurate determination of moisture in a sample as small as 1 mg with a sensitivity of less than 1 microgram of moisture. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber which can be cooled to below -150.degree. C. or heated to about 100.degree. C. The vacuum chamber is connected in series with a moisture trap which can be cooled to below -150.degree. C. The moisture trap is connected in series with a combination of mechanical and diffusion vacuum pumps capable of reducing the pressure in the apparatus to below 1.times.10.sup.-5 Torr. A sample is placed in the vacuum chamber, cooled to below -150.degree. C., the apparatus is evacuated to a pressure of below 1.times.10.sup.-5 Torr by the vacuum pumps. Thereafter, the moisture trap is cooled to below -150.degree. C. while the sample is heated to about 100.degree. C. to transfer moisture from the sample to the trap.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the low temperature characteristics of materials measures the resistivity of a sample material and the resistivity of a comparision material and plots the ratio of the resistivity of the comparision material to the resistivity of the sample material versus the temperature of the sample material. In addition, the method and apparatus measures the temperature of the sample and the temperature of a reference material and plots the difference there between as a function of the temperature of the reference material. The method and apparatus is usable in monitoring and/or controlling lyophilization appartus in order to increase the efficiency of the freeze drying process, that is, increasing product yield while reducing processing time.