Nodular Ductile Iron Microstructure consisting of nodular graphite in a pearlitic matrix surrounded by ferrite islands (bullseye graphite)
Polymer Testing & Analysis
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) is used to identify functional groups in chemical structures, identifying polymers based on the absorption patterns of infrared light. Our FTIR has microscopy capability allowing for very small sample size if needed inclusing organic contamination analysis.
Attenuated total reflectance accessories (ATR) are used to analyze solid samples such as polymer films, resins, fabrics, powders, and pastes.
Scanning electron microscope with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometer (SEM/EDS) is a technique used for identifying elemental composition of an entire specimen or of a specified area on that specimen at magnifications up to 200,000X.
Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) provides information on thermal transitions of polymers, including glass transition, melting temperature, crystallization temperatures, and heats of transition. The instrument is capable of temperature ramps from –150ºC to 600ºC.
Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) measures weight loss as a function of temperature or time. It can be used to quantify the mass loss or gain due to decomposition, oxidation, or volatilization upon heating in a controlled environment with an inert gas, reactive gas or both. The weight loss is monitored over temperature ranges from ambient temperature to 800º C. TGA is used to measure degradation temperatures, filler content of polymers and volatile components of polymeric materials.
Melt flow indexer (MFI) determines the melt flow rate (MFR) of a material in grams that flows in 10 minutes through an extruder with known dimensions and a pressure with a known load. The extrusion rate of a polymer melt allows comparison between processing temperatures for polymers.
Tensile testing, using an Instron testing machine or other lighter load cell, elongates a sample and the force required to break the sample is recorded. This produces a stress strain curve from which mechanical properties (modulus, strength, elongation at break) is measured.
Compression testing, places a sample under a crushing load and deformation is recorded. This produces a stress strain curve from which compressive properties are measured.
Adhesion/peel testing, using an Instron testing machine or other lighter load cells, measures the strength required to pull apart a bonded surface or to tear a material.
Hardness testing measures the resistance to indentation in a polymer using a durometer shore A measuring device for softer polymer and durometer shore D measuring device for harder polymers.
Light microscopy – five (5) microscopes available delivers magnification and visual inspection from 5X up to 1000X and visual imaging/photography up to 1200X using transmitted or reflective lighting with various filters.
Viscosity Testing and Chemical Resistance
Failure Analysis We perform all types of failure analysis on polymers to identify the root cause through test protocol using services listed above and powerful scanning electron microscope with variable pressure to identify the root cause and EDAX (EDS) system to determine chemical composition of the smallest contamination.
