TESTING | MATERIALS
Right: The Discovery X3 DSC from TA Instruments’ offers multiple sample
capabilities to speed up DSC testing
dability, and the effects of environmental degradation. On top of this comes single-use recycling analysis – especially useful given the boom in take-out dining during the Covid-19 pandemic – and overall management of QA/QC of finished com- pounds.
Aiming to address these
needs, PerkinElmer has introduced the EGA 4000, which it says is the industry’s first fully integrated TG-IR (thermogravimetric analysis-infra- red spectrometry) system for evolved gas analysis (EGA). The company says the unit’s design “elimi- nates issues posed by current EGA systems to offer a simplified TG-IR analysis, accessible to experi- enced and novice users alike.” Mattegunta says current TG-IR systems use sepa-
rate instruments via transfer lines, introducing operational complexity and maintenance issues. The EGA 4000 incorporates a fully functional PerkinElmer TGA analyser into its Spectrum 3 FT-IR spectrometer, “combining all aspects of instrument control and analysis into a simple user interface.” Hardware and software are controlled by a single software platform. The Discovery X3 DSC is the latest addition to
the TA Instruments’ line of Differential Scanning Calorimeters (DSC). The company says the ability to keep pace with demand for high performance materials is limited by the fact that most traditional DSC equipment is limited to analysing a single sample at a time. It says that the Discovery X3 has been designed to eliminate multiple testing steps, generating three times the amount of experimental data as a standard DSC system. It uses the company’s Fusion
Mflow, from ZwickRoell, can measure MVR of high flow PP grades used in non-woven production
Cell technology to allow users to compare different formula- tions side-by-side under the exact same test conditions. Its three sample calorimeters are said to provide un- matched flexibility whether used for replicate testing for statistical analysis or for validation/verification against a control sample. The Discovery X3 is
supported by the introduc- tion of a Batch Processing feature in the IMAGE: TA INSTRUMENTS
company’s Trios software, which is designed to handle the additional data generated with the X3 DS. Optional equipment includes a variety of cooling options, sample cutters, pans, and linear autosampler with 54 programmable tray positions.
Melt flow challenge Melt-blown polypropylene non-woven fabrics can function as filter materials to provide high filtration efficiency against very small particles. They are found in a variety of medical applications, includ- ing respirator masks as well as other non-woven, medical protective clothing, and have been in particularly high demand during the Covid-19 pandemic. Quality assurance of the raw material often involves the use of an extrusion test but, as the volume flow index (Melt Volume Rate, MVR) of PP grades for melt-blown non-wovens typically lies between 1,200 and 2,000 cm³/10 min, this is a challenging task. “A high MVR value such as this requires a sophisticated instrument to accurately and repeat- ably measure test results,” says ZwickRoell, which supplies melt flow test equipment. Especially important for compounders, the MVR of a polymer may change significantly after the addition of additives. “A change to the MVR may affect processing and it is therefore important to under- stand to what degree various additives effect the MVR of a material,” says the company. ZwickRoell’s Mflow unit can be fitted with a die
plug that ensures the material stays in the barrel during the preheat time. Once the test begins, the die plug is removed from the barrel, the material begins to flow, and a travel transducer automati- cally records the MVR. “These accessories on the Mflow ensure accurate and repeatable results of high MVR polymers like melt-blown PP,” says the supplier. “A recent redesign of the Mflow to include a new colour touchscreen electronic improves efficiency
32 COMPOUNDING WORLD | January 2021
www.compoundingworld.com
IMAGE: ZWICKROELL
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