Advanced technologies for polymers

Laboratories and businesses concentrate on enhancing daily life often via the development and enhancement of improved polymeric materials. Researchers constantly explore novel mixtures, compounds, structures, and processing methods to find stronger, cheaper, and sustainable materials built from macromolecules.

 

The right tools and expertise can make all the difference in being successful in the business of science. Our broad portfolio of solutions for polymer analysis, backed by a proven record of reliability and expertise, can help you deliver results.


Compounding and extrusion

Compounding is employed to mix a polymer matrix with different additives to achieve a specific material behavior. Extrusion is used to determine the final form of polymers and plastics, from small sample amounts during initial product development through to full-scale manufacturing processes. Reliable extrusion and compounding tools help ensure that final products such as pipes, films, coatings, etc. have the desired physical properties.

 

Twin-screw extruders are well-established tools for the mixing, compounding, and processing of materials. By processing polymers at controlled temperatures and shear rates, extruders and compounders allow for the study of thermal stability, degradation, and mechanical properties. This helps in understanding how polymers behave under different processing conditions and in predicting their performance in real-world applications.

Our lab-scale extruders allow you to conduct numerous trials efficiently and cost effectively, all while conserving precious laboratory space. They are vital for the comprehensive analysis, development, and optimization of polymer materials, helping to ensure that they meet the desired specifications and performance requirements.

Process 11 Parallel Twin-Screw Extruder

The Thermo Scientific Process 11 Parallel Twin-Screw Extruder is a small-scale compounder that provides a workflow that enables small scale compounding from 20 g/h up to 2.5 kg/h. Together with an injection molding machine, different specimens can easily be produced from the compounded material to run tests to characterize the material. 

HAAKE MiniJet Pro Piston Injection Molding System

Eliminate worries of limited material quantities and produce various sample geometries with the Thermo Scientific HAAKE MiniJet Pro Piston Injection Molding System. You can reduce costs by efficiently preparing specimens from as little as 2 mL up to 12.5 mL of material.

HAAKE MiniLab 3 Micro Compounder

Designed to provide you with precisely controlled reactive extrusion of high viscous melts using only a sample amount of sample of 5 grams or 7 cm3, the Thermo Scientific HAAKE MiniLab 3 Micro Compounder is ideal for compounding expensive or small-scale materials like biopolymers. Simultaneously, the rheological properties can be recorded to document structural changes.

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is the preferred method of infrared spectroscopy. When IR radiation is passed through a sample, some radiation is absorbed by the sample and some passes through (is transmitted). The resulting signal at the detector is a spectrum representing a molecular ‘fingerprint’ of the sample. The usefulness of infrared spectroscopy arises because different chemical structures (molecules) produce different spectral fingerprints.

FTIR spectroscopy is a powerful analytical technique used to analyze materials across a broad range of industries, including pharmaceutical, polymer/petrochemical, specialty chemical, semiconductor, environmental, forensics, and material science. Our FTIR microscopes extend analysis capabilities down to minute particles for contaminant analysis or microplastic applications.

Nicolet Summit LITE, X, and PRO FTIR Spectrometers

Thermo Scientific Nicolet Summit FTIR Spectrometers generate fast, reliable answers with less effort—even in busy, multi-user QC labs or teaching labs—with our compact, powerful FTIR technology from the name you trust in FTIR: Nicolet. You can rely on our compact spectrometers to help you confidently identify, verify, or quantify materials faster than ever before.

Nicolet Apex FTIR Spectrometer

Designed for both routine analysis and research applications, the Thermo Scientific Nicolet Apex FTIR Spectrometer offers exceptional performance and versatility. From routine quality control (QA/QC) to research and development, the Nicolet Apex Spectrometer is built to innovate, increase productivity, improve precision, and comply with extensive regulations.

Nicolet iS50 FTIR Spectrometer

Solve your analytical challenges with remarkable simplicity. Move from one experiment to another with the push of a button, integrating diamond ATR, Raman, and NIR. The Thermo Scientific Nicolet iS50 FTIR Spectrometer is deal for polymer method development, troubleshooting, deformulation, and research.

Nicolet RaptIR + FTIR Microscope

Extend the capabilities of the Nicolet Apex or iS50 FTIR Spectrometer with the Thermo Scientific Nicolet RaptIR + FTIR Microscope. Specialists and novice users alike can analyze samples more quickly with increased data capabilities, improved AI, an automated find and zoom function, higher optical resolution, and more.

Nicolet iN10 FTIR Microscope

Visually and chemically analyze your samples with this powerful combination of optical microscope with an integrated FTIR. The Thermo Scientific Nicolet iN10 FTIR Microscope is ideal for small particle identification or high spatial resolution polymer characterization needs.

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR)

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) is a non-destructive spectroscopic method that uses the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, NIR is based on overtones and combinations of bond vibrations in molecules. NIR can typically penetrate much further into a sample than FTIR, and unlike Raman, is not affected by fluorescence. Thus, although NIR spectroscopy is not as chemically specific as Raman or FTIR, it can be very useful in probing bulk material with little or no sample preparation. It is a widely used rapid alternative to time-consuming, solvent intensive, wet-chemistry methods and chromatographic techniques.

 

Our instruments help you to quickly verify incoming raw materials, monitor reaction progress, and quantify final products at reduced cost and increased sample throughput.

Antaris II FT-NIR Analyzer

Easily implement laboratory-based FT-NIR performance in a ready-for-plant package using the Thermo Scientific Antaris II FT-NIR Analyzer. With industry-leading method transfer performance, the Antaris II FT-NIR Analyzer provides robust and reliable data collection for at-line, online and in-line analysis.

Antaris MX FT-NIR Process Analyzer

Optimize your QC testing while remotely monitoring the process using fiber optic simultaneous multiplexing technology and integrated communication for real-time feedback with the rugged Thermo Scientific Antaris MX FT-NIR Process Analyzer.

Raman spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopy is an analytical technique used to observe vibrational, rotational, and other low-frequency modes in a system. It relies on the inelastic scattering of monochromatic light, usually from a laser. When light interacts with molecular vibrations or other excitations in the material, the energy of the laser photons is shifted up or down, providing information about the vibrational modes of the molecules.

 

This technique is valuable for characterizing molecular structures, identifying substances, and studying molecular interactions. Raman spectroscopy is particularly useful for its ability to provide detailed information about molecular vibrations and the chemical composition of a sample without requiring extensive sample preparation.

With the Thermo Scientific DXR3 family of Raman instruments, you can quickly create research-grade chemical images—giving you instant information on the chemical, structural, and elemental characteristics of your sample.

DXR3 Raman Microscope

Analytical services labs are often staffed with scientists and technicians who must be able to walk up to any piece of equipment and get results without technique expertise. Optimization algorithms and automated system setup make the Thermo Scientific DXR Raman Microscope easy to approach and enables a non-specialist to generate excellent results.

MarqMetrix All-In-One Process Raman Analyzer

Use the Thermo Scientific MarqMetrix All-In-One Process Raman Analyzer to analyze the composition and structure of polymers during production and for final product quality control. Specialized technology allows the MarqMetrix BallProbe sampling optics to be used at high pressure and temperature during polymer production as well as in corrosive environments.

UV-Vis spectroscopy (UV-Vis)

Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, or UV-Vis, is an analytical technique used to measure the absorbance of a sample in the ultraviolet and visible regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, typically from about 200 nm to 800 nm. This technique is commonly used to determine the concentration of a substance in solution, analyze the chemical composition of a sample, and study the electronic transitions of molecules. UV-Vis spectroscopy is widely used in various fields, including chemistry, biology, environmental science, and materials science. 

 

Our proven UV-Vis spectroscopy instruments are user-friendly and help you quantify, assess purity, and more. Experience accuracy, ease-of-use, and reliability in an affordable package.

NanoDrop QC Software with the NanoDrop Oneᶜ Spectrophotometer

Analyze the quality of liquid polymers with this innovative, auto-ranging pedestal UV-Vis spectrophotometer and polymer software. Thermo Scientific NanoDrop QC Software with the Thermo Scientific NanoDrop OneC Spectrophotometer eliminates time-consuming steps such as dilution of highly concentrated samples and simplifies chemometric method development and the resulting data analysis.

Visualization

Composite materials are making their way into many different application areas, ranging from aerospace to automotive and construction. Their properties improve stiffness and strength and allow for design of lightweight components at a reasonable cost. A composite is commonly defined as a combination of two or more distinct materials, each of which retains its own distinctive properties, to create a new material with properties that cannot be achieved by any of the components acting alone.

 

Thermo Scientific Avizo Software allows you to obtain structural, physical, chemical, and mechanical properties quickly and accurately. With dedicated tools to obtain fiber properties, porosity, and pore network information, Avizo Software is the digital analytic lab you need to analyze your 2D and 3D imaging data, no matter the data acquisition system you used.

Avizo Software

Thermo Scientific Avizo Software provides optimized workflows for advanced materials characterization and quality control from a single environment. Avizo Software is universal, reliable, fully automatable and customizable for digital analytical labs.

X-ray diffraction

X-ray diffraction (XRD) is a valuable technique for analyzing the structure of polymers. Unlike metals and ceramics, polymers are often semi-crystalline, containing both crystalline and amorphous regions. XRD helps in determining the degree of crystallinity, identifying crystal structures, and studying the orientation of polymer chains.

 

In XRD analysis, a monochromatic X-ray beam is directed at the polymer sample. The X-rays are diffracted by the crystalline regions of the polymer, producing a diffraction pattern that consists of distinct peaks superimposed on a broad halo from the amorphous regions. The positions and intensities of these peaks provide information about the crystalline structure and the degree of crystallinity.

The diffraction pattern can be analyzed using Bragg's Law to determine the spacing between the crystalline planes (d-spacing) and to identify the polymer's crystal structure. The degree of crystallinity can be quantified by comparing the area under the crystalline peaks to the total area under the diffraction pattern.

 

XRD is particularly useful for studying changes in polymer structure due to processing conditions, such as temperature, pressure, and mechanical stretching. Our XRD instruments help in understanding the relationship between polymer structure and properties, aiding in the development of new materials with tailored characteristics for both research and industrial applications.

ARL EQUINOX 100 X-ray Diffractometer

Determine the crystalline, microcrystalline or amorphous forms of your polymers. The Thermo Scientific ARL EQUINOX 100 X-ray Diffractometer provides needed structural information such as the polymorphism, the degree of crystallinity, and the crystallite size of the polymers to ensure their structure-property relationship.


X-ray fluorescence (XRF, EDXRF, WDXRF)

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy is a non-destructive analytical technique used to determine the elemental composition of materials. XRF analyzers work by measuring the fluorescent (or secondary) X-rays emitted from a sample getting irradiated by a primary X-ray source. Each of the elements present in a sample produces a set of characteristic fluorescent X-rays lines like a fingerprint.  These fingerprints are distinct for each element, making XRF spectroscopy an excellent tool not only for qualitative analysis but also for quantitative measurements when processing the intensity of the emitted lines. In aluminum production, XRF is used for analysis of raw materials, slags, and alloys. Critically, XRF used in combination with XRD enables process control of the aluminum electrolysis process.

A convenient front-end analysis tool, EDXRF (energy-dispersive XRF) enables quick and easy analysis of even irregular samples with little-to-no sample preparation. WDXRF (wavelength-dispersive XRF), meanwhile, is the standard test method for a wide range of applications due to its outstanding sensitivity and high resolution.

ARL PERFORM'X Sequential X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer

Analyze critical trace elements in polymers with high sensitivity and low limits of detection across the periodic table with the Thermo Scientific ARL PERFORM'X WDXRF Spectrometer, which allows bulk analysis as well as advanced elemental mapping and spotting down to 0.5 mm. It is an excellent solution for demanding quantitative polymer analysis.

ARL QUANT'X EDXRF Spectrometer

Identify and quantify the elemental composition and concentrations of inorganic additives such as pigments, fillers, flame retardants and stabilizers in the polymer. The Thermo Scientific ARL QUANT'X EDXRF Spectrometer is ideally suited to analyze and quantify various elements down to sub-ppm levels to comply with the different norms.

FlashSmart Elemental Analyzer

Determine nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen, sulfur and oxygen in the material characterization and quality control testing of polymers with the Thermo Scientific FlashSmart Elemental Analyzer. Its automation and modularity help labs improve productivity over traditional methods without the use of hazardous reagents.


X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), also known as electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA), is a highly surface-sensitive, quantitative, chemical analysis technique that can be used to solve a wide range of materials problems. XPS is the measurement of photoelectrons ejected from the surface of a material that has been irradiated with X-rays. The kinetic energy of the emitted photoelectrons is measured. This energy is directly related to the photoelectrons’ binding energy within the parent atom and is characteristic of the element and its chemical state.

 

Only electrons generated near the surface can escape without losing too much energy for detection. This means that XPS data is collected from the top few nanometers of the surface. It is this surface selectivity, coupled with quantitative chemical state identification, that makes XPS so valuable in a vast array of application areas.

Our XPS instruments help you understand the distribution of chemistries across a surface, for finding the limits of contamination, or even examining the thickness variation of an ultra-thin coating.

Thermo Scientific K-Alpha X-ray Photoelectron Spectrometer (XPS) System

Get precise results, quickly and efficiently. The compact Thermo Scientific K-Alpha Photoelectron Spectrometer (XPS) System bridges the XPS requirements for both research and routine analysis with high sample throughput and advanced capabilities. Intuitive operation, guided by the Thermo Scientific Avantage Data System, makes the K-Alpha XPS ideal for multi-user facilities.


For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.