feature | Materials testing
technical specialist with the firm. The company works in many areas and covers the
materials-application spectrum from polymers, additives and other raw materials to compounds and finished products. For example, Chemir analyses finished multilayer films - 5 to 7 layers - to determine the cause of product failures. In one recent example, a problem with a packaging film that was discoloring food contents was traced back to the use of an unauthorised stabiliser by a compounder. Armed with Chemir’s findings, which took five weeks to develop, the food manufacturer was able to resolve the issue with the compounder and eliminate the problem. A lot of the testing that Chemir carries out includes
cross-sectional analysis and depth profiling of finished product to make certain the right materials are used. The company says it is continuing to expand its capabilities in these areas. Notable assets include liquid chromatographs with high-resolution spectrometry, some with resolution down to 10nm.
Service extensions The idea of being a “one-stop shop” for compounders and others in materials analysis, R&D and product development is promoted by many test services. Smithers Rapra, for example, operates an up-to-date compounding laboratory for evaluation of the chemical and physical properties of materials. The facility enables us to model compounds effectively, according to Smithers Rapra’s Shipton. “These can be further processed in-house into components, then evaluated using a wide range of tests,” he says. In its laboratory, Smithers Rapra employs numerous
tests to characterise materials, their properties and performance. These include gel permeation
New polymer testing conference
AMI is holding its first Polymer Testing & Analysis conference in Cologne, Germany on 12-14 April 2016. It will cover the latest equipment, methods and standards for assessing the properties of polymers, additives, compounds, composites and plastic products. For information on participating in the event as a delegate, speaker, exhibitor or sponsor, please contact event organiser Laura Richardt (
lr@amiplastics.com, tel: +44 117 314 8111) or visit
http://bit.ly/PolymerTesting
chromatography and rheological studies to evaluate molecular weight change, which can affect downstream melt-processing behavior during compounding. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and liquid
chromatography/mass spectrometry are useful in identifying and quantifying additives, notably UV stabilizers, antioxidants and slip agents. Differential scanning calorimetry is vital in characterising thermal history, melting points and transitions resulting from additives and compounding conditions, “We find that potent additives are being used at low levels [in some compounds]; this can challenge conventional chromatography techniques,” Shipton says. The company is also involved in developing standards
and techniques for “upcycling” initiatives in PET bottles and other recycling markets. Upcycling is a relatively new term that refers to the practice of reducing waste by improving the ability of materials to be recycled into viable products. In addition to the wide range of testing services
available from a dedicated testing services organisation, compounders can also benefit from wider industry expertise. According to Ole Jan Myhre, Market Manager and Packaging Advisor at Norwegian testing and research company Norner, it offers customers including raw material suppliers, compounders, brand owners, processors and OEMs what he describes as a “full value chain approach.” Myrhe says such an approach is of particular benefit
A Chemir scientist analyzes the mechanical properties of a sample on an Instron machine. Testing services perform a range of chemical and mechanical tests for compounders.
66 COMPOUNDING WORLD | September 2015
given the growing – and increasingly technically complex – project portfolios coming from additive, filler and functional component producers, as well as from OEMs. “We especially see growth in advanced material concepts and polymer composite developments. We have, for instance, an increasing number of projects in the field of oil & gas and energy applications. We also see growth in projects related to sustainable materials,
www.compoundingworld.com
PHOTO: CHEMIR
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