FTIR Spectrum

 
Situation:

Polyamide pellets were mixed with a UV inhibitor for manufacturing purposes. After a while, the surface of the pellets began to produce a thin white residue. Presumably, it was the UV inhibitor that has “blossomed” to the pellet’s exterior, but to further analyze the matter and make a precise conclusion regarding the condition of the pellets and the cause of the white residue, an FTIR Spectrum analysis has to be taken.

In order to further comprehend on the given situation, the people behind the analysis need to determine important factors—the kind of technique they would need to conduct and the polymers and chemicals involved.

The pellets producing the white residue as well as the polyamide pellets and UV inhibitor were placed on a test by means of FTIR Spectrum. It seems to show that the thin white residue is an Amine stabilizer that was stuck. The pellets were also observed using a microscope, its surface also showed the same residue and was later found out that both residues are similar in characteristics. It was identified to be a hindered Amine UV stabilizer.

It appears from the FTIR spectrum that the UV stabilizer was unsuccessfully   mixed together with the polymer material, thus, it drifted to the pellet’s surface and same thing happened when it was formed in to the final result of the mixture. The cause improper result is either the poor blending of the additives to the polymer or it might be that the wrong UV stabilizer was used.

Conclusion: Through this analysis, the client determined that it was the poor process of mixing the UV stabilizer to the polymer that has caused the result. By means of analyzing the FTIR Spectrum, they found out that they need to be more meticulous and detailed when using the polymer additives in order to avoid problems like this.