Analyzing Various Plastics - Benefits of Bundled KnowItAll® Software

Importance of the Topic

Plastic pollution, including microplastics and mixed recycled materials, poses significant environmental and health challenges. Rapid, accurate identification of polymer types and degradation products is essential for monitoring contamination and ensuring quality control in recycling processes.

Study Objectives and Overview

This study demonstrates how a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometer, integrated with the KnowItAll® software bundle, streamlines the analysis of various plastics. The goals are to identify polymer types, detect functional group changes from degradation, and quantify components in mixed materials using automated spectral search and data interpretation tools.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The experimental setup employed a Shimadzu IRXross FTIR spectrophotometer equipped with a QATR 10 single‐reflection ATR accessory (diamond crystal). Key measurement parameters included 4 cm⁻¹ resolution, 45 scans, square‐triangle apodization, and a DLATGS detector. Spectral data were processed in Shimadzu LabSolutions IR or AMsolution software and transmitted automatically to the KnowItAll bundle for advanced searches.

Main Results and Discussion

• Microplastics Analysis: Standard library searches identified polypropylene (PP) as the base polymer. Additional peaks at 3,600–3,100 cm⁻¹ (O–H), ~1,700 cm⁻¹ (C=O), and 1,300–1,000 cm⁻¹ (C–O) indicated PP degradation. Comparison with a UV‐Degraded Plastics Library confirmed 150 h UV exposure effects.
• Recycled Plastics Analysis: A PC/ABS blend was examined. ID Expert generated a composite spectrum, quantified PC and ABS ratios, and produced a residual spectrum to highlight unmodeled features. This multi‐component analysis demonstrated accurate qualitative and semi‐quantitative assessment of composite materials.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The FTIR-KnowItAll integration offers several advantages:

• No complex sample preparation is required for solid plastics.
• Automated data transfer and spectral searching reduce user intervention.
• Functional group analysis and mixture deconvolution improve identification accuracy.
• Built-in noise and contaminant checks enhance data reliability.

Future Trends and Potential Applications

Advancements may include expanded spectral libraries for emerging polymers, machine learning algorithms for pattern recognition, real-time automated reporting, and integration with Raman spectroscopy for complementary analysis. These developments will further accelerate plastic characterization in environmental and industrial settings.

Conclusion

The combination of FTIR spectroscopy and the KnowItAll software bundle delivers a powerful, user-friendly platform for comprehensive plastic analysis. It enables efficient identification of polymer compositions, detection of degradation products, and quantification of multi-component blends, supporting environmental monitoring and recycling quality control.