Failure analysis and quality control in plastics and polymers manufacturing
The manufacturing of plastics and polymers can present challenges throughout the process, in areas as diverse as QA/QC verification, failure analysis, deformulation, or product development. Get help evaluating your challenging samples with this step-by-step analysis guide by finding your symptom and learning how to solve the problem – at any stage from sample prep to data analysis.
Plastic and polymer blooming
Improper additive formulation – excess or un-reacted additive
1. Scrape material from surface
2. Measure by single-bounce ATR
1. Search libraries to identify the unknown material
2. Adjust formulation based on identified material
- Nicolet Apex FTIR Spectrometer
- Smart iTR Diamond ATR accessory
- OMNIC Specta Software for Polymer Labs
Plastic and polymer hazing, streaking, or incorrect colors
Improper formulation: additives or fillers; contamination; poor mixing
1. Measure directly, or excise outer or inner material from sample
2. Measure using diamond ATR Mid-IR or Far-IR for inorganic fillers
1. Compare to reference part data and search libraries to identify differences
2. Change formulation if appropriate
- Nicolet Summit iS50 FTIR Spectrometer
- Built-in Diamond ATR accessory
- Solid-substrate beamsplitter
- OMNIC Specta Software for Polymer Labs
Oily and tacky plastics and polymers
Improper additive formulation or contamination
1. Wipe or scrape surface to isolate material, or perform direct analysis
2. Measure residue or sample surface on single bounce ATR
3. Measure reference part or sample with surface cut off
1. Search libraries to identify material
2. Adjust formulation or change process to avoid contamination
- Nicolet Summit X FTIR Spectrometer
- Everest Diamond ATR Accessory
- OMNIC Paradigm Software with Polymer Library
Plastic and polymer inclusions, delamination, and fisheyes
Poor processing, contamination
1. Isolate any included contaminants
2. Use sample cross-sectioning to view layers
3. Perform microscopic analysis:
a. FT-IR: ≥5 μm
b. Dispersive Raman: ≥1 μm
1. Search libraries to identify contamination
2. Change process to avoid contamination
- Nicolet iN10 FTIR Microscope
- OMNIC Paradigm Software for Polymer Labs
Plastic and polymer roughness, speckles, mars, and bubbles
Contamination: surface or embedded processing problem (trapped gas)
1. Isolate surface or embedded material
2. Measure using single-bounce Diamond, ZnSe or Ge* ATR
*Ge for carbon-filled polymers
1. Search libraries to identify contamination
2. Change process to avoid contamination
- Nicolet Apex FTIR Spectrometer
- Smart iTR Diamond ATR accessory
- OMNIC Specta Software for Polymer Labs
Plastic and polymer brittleness, cracking, and weakness
Oxidation, degradation, contaminant, incorrect material
1. Excise surface or inner material
2. Measure by single-bounce ATR
1. Compare to reference part
2. Identify unexpected components
3. Ensure material is correct for conditions; change formulation as needed
- Nicolet Apex FTIR Spectrometer
- Smart iTR Diamond ATR accessory
- OMNIC Specta Software for Polymer Labs
Diminished physical properties in plastics and polymers
Crystallinity, structure, polymorphism, inorganic additives, degradation, contamination
Measure directly using Raman or single-bounce Diamond ATR in Far-IR range
1. Search libraries using spectral region search to identify components
2. Optimize formulation or manufacturing process
- Nicolet iS50 FTIR Spectrometer
- iS50 Raman module
- Built-in Diamond ATR accessory
- Solid-substrate beamsplitter
Plastic and polymer materials that are too hard or too soft
Improper formulation:
- Co-polymers, plasticizers, fillers (>1% by weight)
- Low-level additives (<1%)
1. Measure directly using single-bounce Diamond, ZnSe or Ge* ATR
2. May require cutting away top surface to expose interior
*Ge for carbon-filled polymers
1. Calculate peak height or area ratio
2. Verify co-polymer ratios
3. Adjust formulation and check ratios routinely
- Nicolet Summit X FTIR Spectrometer
- Everest Diamond ATR Accessory
- OMNIC Paradigm Software with Polymer Library
Plastic and polymer swelling
Surface contamination
1. Extract contamination into solvent
2. Dry onto ATR crystal or IR window
3. Measure using transmission
1. Search libraries to identify contamination
2. Determine if polymer or formulation is appropriate for application
- Nicolet Summit X FTIR Spectrometer
- Everest Diamond ATR Accessory
- OMNIC Paradigm Software with Polymer Library
Plastic and polymer warping
Improper formulation, incorrect processing conditions (if nothing found wrong with formulation)
1. Measure directly using single-bounce Diamond, ZnSe or Ge* ATR
2. May require cutting away top surface to expose interior
*Ge for carbon-filled polymers
1. Calculate peak height or area ratio
2. Verify co-polymer ratios
3. Adjust formulation and check ratios routinely
- Nicolet Apex FTIR Spectrometer
- Smart iTR Diamond ATR accessory
- OMNIC Specta Software for Polymer Labs
Wear and premature failure in plastics and polymers
Wrong material or formulation, material failure, extreme use conditions
1. Measure directly using single-bounce Diamond, ZnSe or Ge* ATR
2. May require cutting away top surface to expose interior
3. Measure sample and reference part on TGA-IR
*Ge for carbon-filled polymers
1. Search libraries to identify material
2. Compare sample data to reference part data to identify differences
3. Change formulation if appropriate
- Nicolet iS50 FTIR Spectrometer
- Built-in Diamond ATR accessory
- Solid-substrate beamsplitter
- TGA Interface module
- OMNIC Specta Vapor Phase library
Plastic and polymer odors
Oxidation / Degradation / Contamination
1. Solvent extraction, evaporate solvent
2. Measure residue on ATR or IR window
3. Measure sample and reference part on TGA-IR
1. Search libraries to identify material or contamination
2. Compare sample data to reference part data to identify differences
3. Change formulation if appropriate
- Nicolet Apex FTIR Spectrometer
- TGA Interface module
- OMNIC Specta Vapor Phase library
Additional polymer resources
Do you have questions, or would you like to talk with one of our technical experts? Please complete the form below to get the conversation started.