TESTING | MATERIALS
Right: PerkinElmer’s EGA 4000 offers integrat- ed thermo- gravimetric analysis and infrared spectroscopy with evolved gas analysis
of the rheometer product line of Malvern Panalyti- cal. This includes the Kinexus rotational rheometers and Rosand capillary rheometers. Dr Shona Marsh, Application & Product
Marketing Manager for Rheology within the company, says the rotational rheometers “possess an ultra-low friction air bearing which is what makes them so incredibly sensitive. In comparison to a simple viscometer, the perfor- mance of a rheometer allows far greater characterisation of flow, deformation and even tackiness of a material (for Newtonian and non- Newtonian materials). Capillary rheometers are designed to operate at much higher shear rates than rotational rheom- eters, allowing the rheological behaviour under processes such as extrusion or injection moulding to be investigated. They provide information about the material’s shear viscosity (resistance to flow) but also the extensional viscosity (resistance to stretch). “This means we can detect how different polymers/ grades will perform in processes such as blow moulding,” says Marsh.
New to the thermomechanical analysis product line-up is the TMA 402 F3 Hyperion Polymer Edition, which is described as a robust, reliable, and easy-to-operate instrument for quality control, especially of polymers. Philipp Köppe, Head of Marketing at Netzsch, says this new device is tailor-made for low-temperature applications,
determining various viscoelastic properties such as stress relaxation and creep. The TMA 402 F3 Hyperion Polymer Edition comes with a compact furnace capable of covering a temperature range from -70°C to 450°C and uses a mechanical cooling system that works without the need for liquid nitrogen.
Easing the pressure
“Customers in the plastics compounding world are experiencing a number of pressures and pain points when it comes to testing and analysis,” according to Venkata Mattegunta, Product Marketing Manager, Materials Characterisation, at PerkinElmer. These include the ability to carry out cost-effective raw material identification of a wide variety of samples; streamlined study of chemical composition and interaction of additives; accurate study of biodegra-
Atlas responds to UVC concerns
The Covid-19 pandemic has put hygiene very much in the spotlight. One increasingly popular means of product sterlisation is the use of short wavelength ultraviolet (UVC) radiation, a technology that is now being used in a growing range of applications extending from medical and healthcare to transport and household goods. However, the growing use of UVC technology is raising some concern among materials formulators that mate- rials are being subjected to a new source of severe photodegradation stress, according to Atlas Material Testing Solutions. “They fear that their materials – textiles, plastics, coatings, etc – potentially could degrade because of exposure from this ‘new stress,’ which is much harsher than solar UV, and may considerably reduce
30 COMPOUNDING WORLD | January 2021
service lifetime,” the company says. The company claims its Atlas
UVCTest is the first system designed specifically to test the durability of materials exposed to UVC radiation, which is centred at 254nm. Based on the company’s UVTest fluorescent/ UV platform, the radiant energy from the UVCTest’s eight 40W fluorescent lamps is concentrated in the UV 254nm wavelength region. To protect the operator from accidental exposure to this harmful UV radiation, the instrument is equipped with safety devices to automatically turn off the lamps when either test chamber door is opened. Additional, light-blocking gasketing has been implemented to further ensure user safety. �
www.atlas-mts.com
The UVCTest, from Atlas MTS, is specifically designed to test materials for compatibility with short wavelength UV sterilisation techniques
www.compoundingworld.com
IMAGE: ATLAS
IMAGE: PERKINELMER
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