Chemir Expands Plastic Testing Laboratory Services With New Instrumentation
Chemir, a division of Evans Analytical Services, announces that it has expanded polymer and plastic testing services and problem solving capabilities with the acquisition of new state-of-the-art instrumentation.
(PRWEB)
Chemir, a division of Evans Analytical Services, announces that it has expanded polymer and plastic testing services and problem solving capabilities with the acquisition of new state-of-the-art instrumentation. In the past year the analytical testing laboratory has acquired a new FTIR, TGA, TMA, LC/MS, DSC, and tensile tester. These tools enhance the company's investigational resources to support quality control, research and development. Chemir designs customized investigations to resolve complex challenges, and also offers these instrumental techniques as individual services. An upcoming webinar, “Analytical Investigations: Case Studies Involving Plastics and Polymers” will present examples of several of these techniques and solutions.
Chemir’s new Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) is a Nicolet 6700-FTIR Advanced Gold spectrometer, configured to work in both the near infrared and the mid infrared. Compound identification is aided with a searchable library of over 70,000 spectra. Additionally, the instrument has an attached Continuum IR microscope. It can be operated in transmittance, reflectance, and Micro-ATR mode, and the automatic stage configuration allows for the chemometric mapping of surfaces. These features will greatly facilitate identification of small particles, and allow for rapid contaminant identification and surface analysis of organic and polymeric materials.
Thermal analysis techniques are key tools for the characterization of polymers and polymer-containing products. Chemir gained a Modulated Differential Scanning Calorimeter (MDSC) and Thermo Gravimetric Analyzer (TGA). MDSC measures the heat flow across a sample as the temperature is varied. This allows chemists to observe fusion, crystallization, glass transition, and melting point temperatures. This information can be used to identify materials, confirm material purity, and give insight into the source of material failures. TGA measures the mass of a sample as the temperature is varied up to a temperature of 1000C. This often allows for the easy quantitation of multiple components of a complex material, as each individual component will volatilize or decompose at a specific temperature. The inorganic materials that do not volatilize or decompose even at 1000C are easily quantified by the final mass reading at the end of the analysis.
Chemir also added a Q400 Thermal Mechanical Analysis (TMA), further expanding thermal analysis capabilities applied in the characterization of polymers, coatings and composites. The Q400 is the industry standard-grade TMA, with unmatched flexibility in operating modes, test probes, fixtures and available signals. The Q400 TMA is designed to measure a sample’s linear or volumetric change as a function of temperature, time or force. This data provides valuable information on coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), penetration, glass transition temperature, softening and flow, and creep/stress relaxation.
The company gained a new Thermo LTQ ion trap LC-MS system. This versatile instrument, with a mass range of 50-4000 m/z, is capable of full scan, selected ion monitoring, selected reaction monitoring, consecutive reaction monitoring, and zoom scan in both positive and negative ion modes. An Agilent 1100 HPLC serves as the front end to provide separation of complex mixtures before being analyzed by mass spectrometry. This instrument increased the range of materials analyzed by LC-MS, with enhanced detection limits of ionizable analytes.
Chemir has added a United “SMART” SSTM-20KN Mechanical Testing Machine to their array of laboratory tools designed to characterize polymer-based materials such as films, fibers and composites. This instrument will be used to test the physical strength of materials, further expanding Chemir’s extensive capabilities in the evaluation of plastics and polymers.
The SSTM-20KN instrument provides precise physical property measurements including tensile, modulus, elongation and compression in the 0.05N – 20 kN range. This broad range allows accurate evaluations of polymer fibers, films, and molded parts, helping Chemir scientists during investigations of failures, material characterization and materials testing. “United is well known as one of the world’s premier manufacturers of state-of-the-art materials testing systems,” says Christopher Andren, Technical Specialist-Analytical Services of Chemir, “the ‘SMART’ test systems are designed to accommodate a wide range of materials and applications to meet the most demanding test requirements.”
These instruments complement Chemir’s problem solving capabilities for plastics and polymers. These materials are used in a wide variety of industries, including medical devices, toys, consumer products, construction materials and more. Chemir’s scientists use multiple techniques to solve difficult problems, and the addition of new instrumentation reflects the company’s commitment to customized solutions.
Case studies featuring these capabilities will be presented in an upcoming webinar presented by Christopher Andren, Technical Specialist-Analytical Services, sponsored by Plastics Technology Magazine. The webinar, “Analytical Investigations: Case Studies Involving Plastics and Polymers” will be presented on June 5, 2012, and will be archived for several months. Mr. Andren will feature detailed case studies of polymer problem- solving and chemical analysis, including data interpretation and conclusions. For more information and to register, please go to http://www.chemir.com/webinar-analytical-investigations-plastics-polymers.asp
About Chemir –A Division of Evans Analytical Group
Chemir solves challenging problems involving chemical analysis and material testing. Since 1959 this independent laboratory has solved thousands of issues involving deformulation (reverse engineering), contaminant and impurity identification, product failure analysis, analytical method development, custom synthesis, patent, intellectual property, and other legal challenges for over 7000 clients. Many of Chemir’s clients are Fortune 500 companies. The scientific staff of 35, including 8 Ph.D. level chemists, uses state-of-the-art analytical instrumentation and expert interpretations to assist such industries as polymers, plastics, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, packaging, coatings, food and beverages, personal care products, consumer products, specialty chemicals, high-tech materials and more. For more information, visit http://www.chemir.com.