Additive Analysis

Isolation, identification and/or quantitation of additive packages in polymer materials.

 

Mixtures of additives (additive packages) are added to polymer materials to enhance, change or protect their properties. These packages can include any number of additives, as well as common and proprietary additive moieties. Impact Analytical has developed specific methods for the extraction and quantitative isolation of additive packages from all major classes of polymer materials. These methods involve extraction of the polymer material with a matched solvent that allows for quantitative extraction of the additives from the material. The resulting extract is analyzed by GC-MS, LC-MS and SEC-MALLS (if high molecular weight HALS additives are suspected to be present) to characterize all possible additives present in the material. This characterization can include:

  • Identification of unknown, proprietary additive molecules

  • Quantitation of individual additives

  • Detection of additive oxidation products, indicating possible degradation of polymer material

Many additive molecules exist, including both common and proprietary additive moieties. Impact Analytical has methods to characterize all classes of additives, including:

  • Plasticizers – Additives present to alter the tensile properties of the material

  • Antioxidants – Additives present to prevent oxidative degradation of the material

  • UV stabilizers – Additives present to absorb harmful UV radiation from degrading polymer material

  • Thermal stabilizers – Additives present to absorb excessive thermal stress from degrading the polymer material

  • Hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS) – High molecular weight additives present to absorb harmful light energy from degrading polymer material

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