PLASTICS TESTING TECHNIQUES

Testing & Quality Control in Plastics

Processing Industry

With the advent of Science and Technology, the concept of testing is

an integral part of research and development, product design and
manufacturing.
Why we need testing?
• To prove design concepts
• To prove a basis for reliability
• Safety
• Protection against product liability suits
• Quality Control
• To meet Standards and Specifications
• To verify the manufacturing process
• To evaluate competitors products
• To establish a history for new materials
 QUALITY
Degree to a set of inherent
Characteristic fulfils
Requirement
TESTING
  Testing yields basic information about a Plastic, its properties relative to another material
and its quality in reference to a standard.
TEST METHOD 
A definitive procedure for the identification, measurement and evaluation of one or more
qualities, characteristics or properties of a material, product, system or service that
produces a test result.
 

 
 
 SPECIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS
A specification for a plastic material involves defining
particular requirement in terms of density tensile
strength and other related properties.
• A standard is something established for use as a
basis of comparison in measuring capacity, quantity,
content, extent, value, quality etc.
• The ultimate purpose of the standards is to develop a
common language, so that there can be no confusion
among the developers, designers, fabricators, end-
users and other concerned parties.
 BENEFITS OF STANDARDSIZATION

• Improved efficiency
• Mass production
• Superior quality goods through uniformity and new challenges
• International trade
• Technical exchanges and establishment of common markets
 INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ORGANISATION

(ISO)

• ISO was established for the purpose of International

Standardization
• It is a National Standard bodies of over 90 countries
around the world
Standard methods of test and evaluation commonly provide the
basis of measurement required in the specification for needed or
desired properties
 
Specification is intended to ensure batch-to-batch uniformity as
well as remove confusion between the purchaser and supplier
 
 CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTIES

• Mechanical Properties
• Thermal Properties
• Electrical Properties
• Optical Properties
• Permanence Properties
• Product Testing
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
• Tensile Strength
• Flexural Strength
• Impact Strength             
Izod/Charpy
       Falling Dart - Film/Pipe
• Shear Strength
• Abrasion Resistance
• Compressive Strength
• Creep/Stress relaxation
• Hardness
  Shore "A" & "D"              
  Rockwell "L", "M", "R"
 THERMAL PROPERTIES
• Brittleness Temperature
• Drystalline Melting Point
• Dimensional Stability
• Flammability
• Glass Transition Temperature (Tg)
• Heat Deflection Temperature (HDT)
• Marten's Heat Stability Test
• Melt Flow Index (MFI)
• Oxygen Induction Time (OIT)
• Shrinkage/Reversion
• Thermal Conductivity
• Vicat Softening Point (VSP)
• Thermal Ageing (Hot air oven)
 ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
• Arc Resistance
• Comparative Tracking Index
• Dielectric Strength
• Dielectric constant
• Insulation Resistance
• Resistivity
 Surface
 Volume
• Static Charge
 PERMANENCE PROPERTIES

• Chemical Resistance
• Environmental Stress Cracking Resistance (ESCR)
• Permeability
Gas Transmission Rate 
Moisture Vapour Transmission Rate 
• Weathering of Plastics
Natural Weathering 
• Accelerated Weathering
MECHANICAL
PROPERTIES
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES

 Among all the properties of plastic materials, the mechanical properties are
often the most important properties.

 All service conditions and the majority of end use applications involve some
degree of mechanical loading.

 The material selection for a variety of applications is often based on

mechanical properties such as Tensile strength, modulus, elongation and
impact strength.
The important mechanical properties are:
 Tensile properties Impact properties
 Flexural properties Shear strength
 Compressive properties Abrasion resistance
 Creep properties Hardness tests
 Stress relaxation
 Stress Strain Curve

Stress : The force applied to produce deformation in a unit area of test specimen.

Strain : The change in length per unit of the original length.

Elongation : The increase in the length of test specimen produced by a tensile load.

Yield point : The first point on the stress strain curve at which an increase in strain occurs
without the increase in stress (Point D).
Yield strength: The stress at which a material exhibits a special
limiting deviation from the proportionality of
stress to strain.

Modulus : The ratio of stress to corresponding strain below

the proportional limit of a material.

Ultimate : The maximum unit stress a material will

Strength withstand subjected to an applied load in
compression, tension or shear
 TENSILE STRENGTH
Test Method: ASTM D 638, DIN-53455, BS-2782 Method 301,
ISO-R-527, JIS-K-7113

 Tensile strength is a measurement of the ability of a material to withstand

forces that tend to pull it apart and to determine to what extent the material
stretches before breaking.
Tensile strength = Force(load)/area

Elongation = Change in length / Original length

Significance:
 Useful in quality control and for
specification of plastic materials.
 Useful for qualitative characterisation of
plastic materials in research and development.
 These datas are useful for plastics engineering
and product design.
 FACTORS AFFECTING
TENSILE RESULTS

Specimen preparation

 Injection moulded specimens will have higher value than the

compression specimen
 A load applied parallel to the direction of molecular
orientation may have higher values.

Rate of Straining:
 As the strain rate increased the tensile strength increased.

Temperature :
 As the temperature increases the tensile strength decreases
 FLEXURAL STRENGTH
Test Method: ASTM D 790, ISO-R-178, DIN-53452,
BS-2782 Method 302 D, JIS-K 7203
Flexural strength is the ability of the material to withstand bending forces
applied perpendicular to its longitudinal axis.
 The stress induced due to flexural load are a combination of compressive
and tensile stress.
Specimen Size : 3.2 x 12.7 x 127.0 mm
Significance:
These test data are useful in ranking of plastic materials based on
bending characteristic.
Useful in selection of suitable plastic material for designing a part
required for structural application
Datas indicating the stiffness of the material
Factors affecting the test results
Specimen Preparation
The specimen with high degree of molecular orientation
perpendicular to the applied load will show higher flexural values.

The injection moulded specimens will have higher flexural value

than the compression moulded specimen.

Temperature
Higher the temperature lower the flexural values.
 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH

Test Method: ASTM D 695, ISO-R-604, BS-2782

Method 303, DIN-53454, JIS-K 7208
 Compressive properties describe the behaviour of a
material when it is subjected to a compressive load at a
relatively low and uniform rate of loading.
 Compressive strength is a value that shows how much
force is needed to rupture or crush a material.
Force
Compressive strength = -----------------------
Cross sectional area
Specimen Size:
Rectangular blocks of 12.7 x 12.7 x 25.4 mm or
Cylinders of 12.7 mm dia and 25.4 mm long.
 IMPACT PROPERTIES
The impact properties of the polymeric
materials are directly related to the overall
toughness of the material.

 Toughness is defined as the ability of the

polymer to absorb applied energy.

 The area under the stress-strain curve is

directly proportional to the toughness of a
material.

 The impact resistance is the ability of a

material to resist breaking under a shock
loading.
 THE FOUR TYPES OF FAILURES
ENCOUNTERED DUE TO IMPACT LOAD

 Brittle Fracture - The product fractures extensively

without yielding.

 Slight Cracking - The product shows evidence of

slight cracking and yielding without losing its shape.

 Yielding - The product yields showing deformation

and stress whitening.

 Ductile Failure - A definite yielding of material

along with cracking.
 IZOD IMPACT STRENGTH

Test Method: ASTM D 256, ISO-R-180, BS-2782

Method 306 A, DIN 53453, JIS-K 7110
The most widely used test for impact strength is the notched izod impact test.
 In this test the pendulum arm swung from certain height is made to impact on a notched
cantilevered specimen.
 The loss of energy is measured in ft-lb/in or J/m or kg-cm/c m of specimen thickness, is known as
Izod impact strength.
 This test also be run with an unnotched specimen or with the notch reversed, in which case it is
reported as unnotched or notch reversed Impact strength respectively.

Specimen size:
63.5 x 12.7 x 3.2 mm,
Notch Depth : 2.54 mm,
`V’ shaped
 CHARPY IMPACT STRENGTH

Test Method: ASTM D 6110, ISO-R-179, BS-2782

Method 306 B & 307
 Charpy impact is less common in US but is widely used
in Europe. The test is identical to Izod test except that
the specimen is a simply supported beam that is
impacted, midlong between the supports.
Specimen Size: 12.7 x 6.4 x 127.0 mm
 FACTORS AFFECTING
IMPACT STRENGTH
Rate of loading
 At low rates high impact strength vice versa.

Notch Sensitivity
 A notch in a test specimen drastically lowers the
impact strength.

Temperature
 Higher the temperature more impact strength.

Orientation
 The impact strength is higher in the direction of flow.
 SHEAR STRENGTH

Test Method: ASTM D 732, BS-2782 Method 305, JIS-K 7214

 Shear strength is defined as the ability to withstand the maximum load
required to shear the specimen so that the moving portion completely
clears the stationary portions.
 Shear strength data is of great importance to a designer for sheet
products.
Specimen size
: 50.8 mm dia disc.
Shear Strength
= Force required
to shear the specimen/
Area of shear edge
 ABRASION RESISTANCE

Test Method: ASTM D 1044, ISO-9353, JIS-K 7204

Specimen size: 110 mm dia disc with 3 mm thickness

 Abrasion resistance is the ability to withstand the progressive

removal material from its surface as the result of mechanical
action of rubbing, scrapping or erosion.
 Resistance to abrasion is significantly affected by factors such as
test conditions, types of abradant.
 Most often measured by its loss in weight when abraded with an
abrasor.
 Most tests are carried out at least 5000 revolutions.
 Test results are reported as weight loss in mg/1000 cycles.
 HARDNESS TESTS
Hardness is defined as the resistance of a material to
deformation, particularly permanent deformation by
indentation or scratching.
 Two most commonly used hardness tests for plastics
are the Rockwell hardness test and the Durometer
hardness test
 Rockwell ASTM D 785, ISO-2039, JIS-K7202, DIN-
53426 hardness for relatively hard plastics such as
acetals, nylons, acrylics and polystyrenes
 Durometer ASTM D 2240, ISO-868, JIS-K 7215,
BS2782 Method 307 A and DIN 53505 hardness for
flexible PVC, rubbers, polyethylene & polyurethane.
 FACTORS AFFECTING
TEST RESULTS

 Temperature and humidity:

Specimens tested at higher temperature tend to
indicate a lower value.
 Surface conditions of the specimen:
A smooth molded surface yields higher value.
 Fillers:
Hardness depends on type and amount of filler.
 Anisotropy:
Hardness vary in anisotropic material.
 THERMAL
PROPERTIES
 THERMAL PROPERTIES
 Thermal properties of plastic materials are equally as important as the
mechanical properties.
 The test data of thermal properties of plastics are much useful for the Design
Engineers to select a suitable material at which environment (temperature)
the final product is to be subjected.
 Many factors have significant effect on thermal properties of plastics. They
are :
Molecular Orientation - Tends to decrease dimensional stability
The molecular weight – Affects the low temperature flexibility and
brittleness.
Cristallinity – Its most general effect are sharp melting point and stiffening
of thermal related mechanical properties.
Amorphous Nature – Have a gradual softening range.
 Many other factors such as: intermolecular bending, cross linking and
copolymerization have a considerable effect on thermal properties.
 THE IMPORTANT THERMAL
PROPERTIES

 Melt flow index (MFI)

 Heat deflection temperature (HDT)
 Vicat softening temperature (VSP)
 Co-efficient of linear thermal expansion
 Thermal conductivity
 Brittleness temperature
 Flammability
 MELT FLOW INDEX

Test Method: ASTM D 1238, ISO-1133, JIS-K 7210,

BS-2782 Method 105 C
Sample size: Minimum 50 gm. of granules
Definition: The quantity of material extruded through a standard orifice under
specified temperature and load, measured for 10 minutes.
M Where,
MFI = ------ x 600 M = Mass of the extrudate (gm)
t t = Cut off time (sec.)

Significance:
 To measure the uniformity of the flow rate of the material.
 This values help to distinguish between the different grades of a
polymer.
 MFI is indirectly proportional to Molecular Weight.
MFI TESTER
FACTORS AFFECTING THE TEST RESULTS

Preheat time: Non uniformity in temperature along the wall of the

cylinder if it is not preheated for a specific length of time. This
cause the flow rate to very considerably.
 Moisture: Moisture in the material causes bubbles to appear in
the extrudate. The weight of the extrudate is influenced by the
voids.
 Packing: Improper packing of material causes variation in the
test results.
 Volume of sample: Any change in volume of the sample in the
cylinder may cause for variation in the test result.
 HEAT DEFLECTION TEMPERATURE

Test Method: ASTM D 648, ISO-75, JIS-K7207, BS-

2782 Method 102 G & H, DIN-53455
Specimen Size: 127 x 12.7 x 6.4 mm
Definition: Heat deflection temperature is defined as the
temperature at which a standard test bar deflect to
0.25 mm under a stated load of either 4.6 Kg/cm² or
18.6 Kg/cm² using a selected uniform rise of
temperature, 120 Deg.C.
Significance: This test data is commonly used for quality
control and for screening and ranking materials for
short-term heat resistance.
HDT APPARATUS
 VICAT SOFTENING TEMPERATURE

Test Method: ASTM D 1525, ISO-306, JIS-K7206,

BS-2782 Method 102 D & J
Specimen size: 10 x 10 x 3mm
Definition: The vicat softening temperature is the
temperature at which a flat-ended needle of 1 mm² will
penetrate a thermoplastic specimen to a depth of 1 mm
under a specified load using a selected uniform rate of
temperature rise.
Significance: Useful in quality control, development and
to characterise the material.Also useful in comparing heat
softening qualities of thermoplastics.
ELECTRICAL
PROPERTIES
 ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
WHY PALSTICS ARE INSULATORS?
Metals are excellent conductors due to the structure of a metal
atom, which has a loosely held outermost electron. This allows
the outer electron to easily break free and move within the
lattice(Fig.).
 The presence of these `free’ electrons accounts for the ability of a
metal to conduct large currents even with low voltages.
 In materials such as glass, porcelain and plastics the outer
electrons are tightly bound to the atom or molecules and no free
electrons are present. These materials cannot readily conduct
electric current, thus they are insulators.
 Other materials such as silicon and germanium have
conductivities between those of conductors and insulators and are
classified as semiconductors.
 THE IMPORTANT ELECTRICAL
PROPERTIES

 Insulation resistance
Volume and Surface resistivity
 Dielectric strength
 Dielectric constant (permittivity)
 Dissipation factor
 Arc resistance
 Comparative tracking index
 INSULATION RESISTANCE

 The most desirable characteristic of an insulator is

its ability to resist the leakage of the electrical
current.

 The higher the insulation resistance, the better the

insulator.

 The insulation resistance can be divided into

- Volume resistance
- Surface resistance
 VOLUME RESISTIVITY

Test Methods: ASTM D 257, ISO-3915, BS-2782 Method 202

Test specimen size: 110 mm dia disc with 3 mm thickness

 The volume resistance is defined as the ratio of direct voltage applied to two electrodes that
are in contact with a specimen to that portion of the current between them that is
distributed through the volume of the specimen.

Volume resistivity(ohm-cm) = RvA/t

Where, Rv = Volume resistance (ohms)

A = Area of the electrode contact with the test
specimen (cm²)
t = Thickness of the test specimen (cm)
 Plastics Volume Resistivity (ohm-cm)
ACETAL 1014 -1016
ACRLYIC 1016 -1018
ABS 1016
NYLON 1012 - 1016
POLYCARBONATE 1015 -1017
TP POLYESTER 1014 - 1017
POLYPROPYLENE 1014 - 1017
POLYSULFONE 1015 - 1017
MODIFIED PPO/PPE 1015 - 1017
POLYPHENYLENE SULFIDE 1016
POLYARYLATE 1016 - 1017
LIQUID CRYSTAL POLYMER 1015
 SURFACE RESISTIVITY

Test Method: ASTM D 257, ISO-3915, BS 2782 Method 203

Test specimen size: 110 mm dia disc with 3.0 mm thickness

 This test measures the ability of current to flow over the surface of a material.
 Surface resistance is the ratio of the direct voltage applied to the electrodes to the
portion of the current between them which is primarily in thin layer of moisture or
other semi-conducting material that may be deposited on the surface.
 Volume resistivity is a property of the material.
 Surface resistivity is a measure of the susceptibility of the material to surface
contamination. Particularly moisture.
 Data from this test are best used when material are being evaluated and selected for
applications in which surface leakage may be a problem.
 DIELECTRIC STRENGTH

Test Method:: ASTM D 149, ISO-1325, BS-2782 Method 201 A, DIN-

53483
Test specimen size: 50 mm or 100 mm dia disc with 3.0 mm thickness
 When an insulator is subjected to increasingly high voltage, it eventually breaks down
and allows a current to pass. The voltage reached just before it breaks down divided by
the thickness of the sample is known as the Dielectric strength of the material measured
in volts/mil.
Dielectric strength = Breakdown voltage/Thickness (mil)
 It is generally measured by putting electrodes on either side of the test specimen and
increasing the voltage at a controlled rate.
Factors that affect the results are:
• Temperature & relative humidity
• Rate of increase in voltage
• Sample thickness & electrode area
• Conditioning of sample
Any contamination or internal voids in the
sample may cause for premature failure.
 BVQ i 
UKAS
QUALITY
MANAGEMENT

ISO 9001
006

Plastics Dielectric strength (V/mil)

PFA (fluorocarbon) 2000
CPVC 1200-1500
Rigid PVC 800-1400
Ionomer 1000
Polyester(thermoplastic) 600-750
Polypropylene 650
Polystyrene (high impact) 650
FEP(fluorocarbon) 600
Nylons 350-560
Polystyrene(General purpose) 500
Acetals 500
PTFE fluorocarbon 500
PPO 500
Polyphenylene sulfide 490
Polyethylene 480
Polycarbonate 450
ABS 415
Phenolics 240-340
PVC2 (fluorocarbon) 260
 DIELECTRIC CONSTANT BVQ i 
UKAS
QUALITY
MANAGEMENT

ISO 9001

(PERMITTIVITY)
006

Test Method: ASTM D 150

Test specimen size: 50 mm dia disc with 3.0 mm thickness

 Dielectric constant of an insulating material is defined as the ratio of the charge stored
in the material when placed between two metallic plates to the charge that can be stores
when the insulating material is replaced by air.

 This is a dimensionless constant.

 It is an important factor when plastics are used as dielectric materials in high frequency
applications.

 The value of this constant can vary with change in

- temperature, moisture level, frequency and thickness of the test specimen

Dielectric constant = Capacitance material as dielectric/

Capacitance, air as the dielectric
 DISSIPATION FACTOR
(POWER FACTOR)
Test Method: ASTM D 150
Test specimen size: 50 mm dia disc with 3.0 mm thickness

 The dissipation factor is defined as the ratio of the conductance of a

capacitor in which the material is the dielectric to its capacitance or
the ratio of its parallel reactance to its parallel resistance.

 Dissipation factor can be measured along with the dielectric constant

in the same apparatus.

 It is usually measured at 1 MHz (10 cycles/sec).

 A low dissipation factor becomes important when plastics are used as

insulators in high frequency applications such as radar and micro
wave equipments.
 ARC RESISTANCE

Test Method: ASTM D 495

Test specimen size: 50 mm dia disc with 3.00 mm
thickness

 It is defined on the time required for a given

electrical current to render the surface of a
material conductive because of contamination
by arcing.
 This test is more applicable for thermoset
plastics, since a conductive path can be formed
from the decomposition products by this kind
of localized heating.
 This test results is affected by temperature,
moisture contaminations in the plastic
materials
 High values would be advantageous in
electrical applications where the possibility of
arcing exists.
Eg.: Switches, Circuit breakers, Automotive
ignition components and High voltage
apparatus
Plastics Arc Resistance (sec.)
Polycarbonate (10-40%G.F) 5-120
Polycarbonate 10-120
Polystyrene(high impact) 20-100
ABS 50-85
Polystyrene (general purpose) 60-80
Rigid PVC 60-80
Polysulfone 75-190
Urea Formaldehyde 80-150
Ionomer 90-140
SAN 100-150
Epoxy 120-150
Acetal (Homopolymer) 130
Polyethylene (low density) 135-160
Polypropylene 135-180
PTFE >200
Acrylics No track
 COMPARATIVE TRACKING INDEX

Test Method: ASTM D 3638

 Comparative tracking index is the numerical

value of the voltage, which cause tracking with
the application of 50 drops of the electrolyte
commonly 0.1% ammonium chloride.

 This test is useful since it measures the arc

resistance on a contaminated surface, which is
often the case with actual electrical and electronic
equipments.
 OPTICAL
PROPERTIES
 IMPORTANT OPTICAL
PROPERTIES
 HAZE AND LUMINOUS
TRANSITTANCE
 OPTICAL CLARITY
 SPECULAR GLOSS
 REFRACTIVE INDEX
 COLOUR MEASUREMENTS
 HAZE AND LUMINOUS
TRANSMITTANCE
It is defined as the percentage of transmitted light which is
deviated more than 2.5 from an incident beam by forward
scattering.
When the Haze value is greater than 30%, the material is
considered to be translucent.
Td
Haze = -------- x 100
Tt
Where, Td = Diffuse transmittance
Tt = Total transmittance
Test Method : ASTM D 1003, Specimen size: 50 x 50 x 3 mm
 OPTICAL CLARITY
Distinctiveness of detail, as measured through
transparent materials is commonly called
optical clarity or `see through’.
It is a measure of the light transmitting ability of the
material

Test Method : ASTM D 1746

Specimen Size: 75 x 75 mm
 SPECULAR GLOSS
• Gloss or specular reflectance, is a surface
property of the material.
• It is often described as the attribute responsible
for shiny or lustrous appearance of the object.
• It may be defined as the degree to which the
finish of the surface approaches that of
theoretical specular gloss standards, a highly
polished black glass with a gloss value of 100.
• Three basic angles of incidence – 20, 60 and 85
are used for gloss measurement of plastics.
• Test Method: ASTM D 2457 & D-523
• Specimen size: 100 x 100 x Any thickness mm
 REFRACTIVE INDEX
• It is defined as the ratio of the sin of the angle of
an incident ray to the sine of the angle of
refraction for any transparent material.

Sin of angle of incidence

Refractive Index = ------------------------------
Sin of angle of Refraction

Test Method: ASTM D-542, ISO-489

 COLOUR
• Colour is the property of radiant energy that
permits a living organism to distinguish by lye
between two uniform, structure-free patches of
identical size and shape.
• All colours are measured in the visible
spectrum, that is, 380 to 780 nm.
• In colour measurements the limit standards are
set up in three directions.
• The high and low limits for lightness and
darkness (value),
• Hue, and
• Saturation or chroma.
• VALU OR LIGHTNESS : Colour range from dark to light –
black being darkest, grey being in the middle, and white being
the lightest. These are called natural colours. This aspect of
colour is termed as `value or lightness’.
• HUE: Colour also has another basic difference – red differs
from blue, green or yellow. These distinctions are called `hue’.
• SATURATION OR CHROMA: It is defined as the attribute of
colour perception that expresses the degree of departure from
grey of the same lightness.
• The entire colour spectrum can be described in terms of value,
hue and chroma.
• Test Method:
• ASTM D 1925 - Measurement of yellowness and
whiteness index
• ASTM D 2244 – Measurement of colour differences
• ASTM D 1729 – Visual colour evaluation
PERMANANCE
PROPERTIES
 IMPORTANT PERMANANCE
PROPERTIES
• CHEMICAL RESISTANCE : ASTM D 543
• WATER ABSORPTION: ASTM D 570
• GAS PERMIABILITY: ASTM D 1434
• MOISTURE VAPOUR TRANSMISSION RATE (MVTR): ASTM E 96,
ISO:1663
• ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS CRACK RESISTANCE (ESCR) : ASTM D
1693
• OUTDOOR WEATHERING: ASTM D 1435, ISO:4607
• ACCELERATED WEATHERING
• Exposure of plastics to fluorescent UV light - ASTM G-53, ISO:4892
• Exposure of plastics to Carbon-arc light and water – ASTM D 1499,
ISO:4892
• Exposure of plastics to Xenon arc light and water – ASTM D 2565 & ASTM
D G-26, ISO:4892
• BIO-DEGRADABILITY : ASTM D 5209, ASTM D 5210, ASTM D 5338
• RESISTANCE TO FUNGI: ASTM D 21
CHARACTERIZATION
OF
PLASTICS
 The Family of
Thermal Analysis Techniques
DSC for measuring heat flow into and from a sample

TGA for measuring mass loss events due to decomposition

or evolution of volatiles

TMA for assessing dimensional properties of materials

DMA Thermal Conductivity for measuring visco-elastic

characteristics of samples
for assessing heat transfer
through a sample
 Differential Scanning
Calorimetry (DSC)
DSC is a technique upon which the heat flow to or
from a sample specimen is measured as a function
of temperature or time as it is subjected to a
controlled temperature program in a controlled
atmosphere.

The DSC can examine materials between -170°C

and + 750°C.
 DSC Applications
• Transition temperatures (Tg, Tm, Tc)
• Heat set temperatures
• Heats of transitions
• Heats of curing or reaction
• Heat capacities (Cp)
• Oxidative induction times (OIT)
 DSC Applications
• Percent Crystallinties.
• Compositional analysis of blends.
• Polymer blend compatibilities.
• Effect of recyclates on the thermoplastics.
• `Good’ versus `Bad’ materials.
• Thermal histories.
• Analysis of competitive materials
 Measurement of Tg by DSC
Orientation
 Orientation of the sample
can have a major
bearing on Tg

 Generally, an increase in Effect of

orientation will increase Tg Orientation on Tg Low Orientation

DSC Heat Flow

 This is due to loss of mobility
of the polymer chains
High
Orientation
 For example, PET can have
an increase of Tg from 75 to
100 C with high orientation
Temperature
 TGA for the Measurement of
Weight Loss Properties of Plastics
• Compositional analysis
• Degradation onset temperatures
• Examine flame retardant properties of
material
• Product lifetime predictions
• Measurement of filler content
 TGA Compositional Analysis of ABS
Auto Stepwise TGA

 Auto Stepwise TGA

analysis provides
excellent separation of
overlapping transitions

 The example here

shows Auto Stepwise
results on ABS which
contains two
components - SAN
copolymer and rubber

 Auto Stepwise TGA is

the only way of
separating out these
two components
 Thermomechanical Analysis
(TMA)
 TMA is a technique in which the deformation of a
substance while under a non-oscillating load is
measured as a function of temperature or time as
the substance is subjected to a controlled
temperature program in a controlled atmosphere.

 Theromechanical Analysis (TMA) examines

materials between -170°C and +1000°C.
 TMA Applications
• Glass transition temperature
• Softening temperatures
• Heat deflection temperatures
• Coefficient of thermal expansion
• Heat set temperatures
• Composites (Tg and delamination
temperatures)
TMA for the Sensitive Measurement of Tg
• TMA is more sensitive
(about 5X) for the
detection of Tg

TMA Measurement of Tg
• Tg’s can be measured in
expansion or penetration L

modes
Tg

• In the expansion mode,

TMA also yields CTE Temperature

(coefficients of thermal
expansion)
Dynamic Mechanical Analysis
(DMA)
 DMA is a technique in which a substance while
under an oscillating load is measured as a
function of temperature or time as the substance
is subjected to a controlled temperature program
in a controlled atmosphere.

 Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) examines

materials between -170°C and +1000°C.
 DMA Applications
 Quantify the impact properties of a material.

 Examine the visco-elastic behaviour of a material as a function of

stress, strain, frequency, time of temperature.

 Examine a material’s long term behaviour with respect to creep or

creep-recovery.

 Identify the material’s modulus Vs. temperature.

 Examine effects of temperature on molecular chain branching.

 Compare material’s molecular weight and molecular weight

distribution .

 Examine additive effects on a material’s mechanical properties.

DMA - Storage Modulus
 FOURIER TRANSFORM INFRARED
TECHNIQUE

 Identification of plastic through structural analysis

 Identification of additives, fillers, etc.
 Polymer blend analysis
 Monomer content analysis on plastics
 Compatibility studies on blends
 Curing of polymers
 Degradation studies