Solutions for Plastic Evaluation

Importance of the Topic

Plastic materials are ubiquitous across industries—from packaging and automotive to electronics and biomedical devices.
Reliable evaluation ensures product safety, performance, compliance with regulations, and supports innovation in material development.

Objectives and Study Overview

This whitepaper surveys analytical techniques for assessing plastic materials at various stages:

• Quality control of raw polymers such as polypropylene glycol hydroxyl value determination by NIR-PLS.
• Raw material characterization by FTIR-ATR, GPC, single nanoparticle sizing.
• Product evaluation including additive and impurity analysis by GC/MS, LC/MS, MALDI-TOFMS.
• Structural and thermal behavior assessed by DSC, TMA, DTG, X-ray CT, SPM, and UV-VIS.
• Mechanical testing using tensile, fatigue, and impact methods.
• Non-destructive screening of hazardous substances by AA, ICP-AES, EDX, and UV colorimetry.

Methodology and Instrumentation

• FTIR spectroscopy: transmission, ATR, NIR-PLS quantitation.
• GPC and preparative LC with recycling for molecular weight separation.
• Single nanoparticle measurement by IG-1000 analyzer using induced grating.
• GC/MS with pyrolysis and thermal desorption for additive profiling.
• LC-MS/MS (LCMS-2020, LCMS-IT-TOF) for sensitive, high-accuracy structural analysis.
• MALDI-TOFMS coupled with SEC separation for trace component detection.
• Thermal analysis: DSC-60, TMA-60, DTG-60 for thermal transitions and expansion.
• GC (GC-2014, GC-2010 Plus) for residual solvents and phthalate analysis.
• SPM (SPM-9700, WET-SPM) and IR microscopy (AIM-8800) for surface morphology and mapping.
• UV-VIS spectrophotometry (SolidSpec-3700, UV-2600/2700, UVmini-1240) for reflectance and Cr(VI) detection.
• Mechanical testing: Autograph AG-X for tensile, Servopulser/Hydroshot for fatigue and impact.
• Industrial X-ray CT (inspeXio SMX-90CT/225CT) for internal structure evaluation.
• Elemental analysis: AA-7000, ICPE-9000, EDX-720 for heavy metals and halogens.

Key Results and Discussion

• NIR-PLS achieved near-ideal correlation (R=0.99996) for hydroxyl value in polypropylene glycol.
• Semi-preparative GPC recycling improved polystyrene separation without extra solvent consumption.
• ATR-FTIR enabled direct analysis of pellets, powders, copolymers, and stereochemistry quantitation.
• High-sensitivity nanoparticle sizing distinguished single-digit fullerene and silica mixtures.
• GC/MS, LC/MS, and MSn predicted additive structures and quantified low-level stabilizers.
• MALDI-TOFMS with SEC-AccuSpot detected trace oligomers and additives in acrylic sheets.
• DSC and TMA characterized water melting behavior, glass transition, crystallization, and thermal expansion.
• SPM and IR microscopy revealed lamellar morphology, phase separation, and surface contamination.
• UV diffused reflectance quantified color properties; polarized ATR-FTIR mapped molecular orientation in PET film.
• X-ray CT non-destructively visualized fiber orientation in composites and water distribution in fuel cell membranes.
• Tensile tests defined strength and elongation; fatigue and impact systems assessed endurance and energy absorption.
• AA and ICP-AES matched certified levels of Cd, Pb, Cr, and Hg in plastics; EDX provided rapid RoHS/ELV screening.
• Chromatography and colorimetry methods detected Cr(VI) and phthalates to ensure regulatory compliance.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Rapid, high-throughput analysis reduces cycle times in R&D and manufacturing.
• Minimal sample preparation and non-destructive techniques preserve material integrity.
• Multi-technique approaches offer comprehensive insight into composition, structure, and performance.
• Compliance with safety and environmental regulations is supported by accurate hazardous substance monitoring.
• Enhanced product quality control and troubleshooting through detailed surface, thermal, and mechanical evaluations.

Future Trends and Potential Applications

• Integration of AI and machine learning for automated data interpretation across spectroscopic and chromatographic platforms.
• Development of smaller, portable instruments for on-site quality assurance in production lines.
• Advances in correlative multi-modal imaging combining CT, SPM, and IR microscopy for 3D structural analysis.
• Continued growth in single-particle and single-molecule characterization techniques for nanocomposites.
• Remote monitoring and cloud-based analytics enabling real-time product tracking and diagnostics.

Conclusion

The comprehensive suite of analytical methods and instrumentation presented enables robust evaluation of plastic materials at every stage—from raw monomers to finished products—supporting quality control, regulatory compliance, and material innovation.

Instruments Used

• IRAffinity-1, IRPrestige-21, IG-1000, Prominence, GCMS-QP2010 Ultra, LCMS-2020, LCMS-IT-TOF, AXIMA Performance.
• DSC-60, TMA-60, DTG-60, GC-2014, GC-2010 Plus, SPM-9700, AIM-8800, SolidSpec-3700, UV-2600/2700, UVmini-1240.
• Autograph AG-X Series, Servopulser/Hydroshot HITS-T10, inspeXio SMX-90CT/225CT, AA-7000/7000G, ICPE-9000, EDX-720.

References

Technical application notes and instrument manuals from Shimadzu Corporation.