NIRS as a tool to assess the quality of PP and PE
For over 30 years, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been an established method for fast and reliable quality control within the PP/PE industry. Despite this, many producers still do not consistently consider the implementation of NIRS in their QA/QC labs. Limited experience regarding application possibilities or a general hesitation about implementing new methods are some of the reasons behind this.
The advantages of using NIR spectroscopy for QA/QC are numerous. One major advantage of NIRS is the determination of multiple parameters in just 30 seconds with no sample preparation! The non-invasive light-matter interaction used by NIRS, influenced by physical as well as chemical sample properties, makes NIRS a suitable method for the determination of several critical quality parameters in these polymers and many more.
In the remainder of this article, a short overview on PE and PP applications are presented, followed by available turnkey solutions for PE and PP, developed according the NIRS implementations guidelines of ASTM E1655-17.
For more detailed information about NIRS as a secondary technique, read our previous blog posts on this subject.
Benefits of NIRS: Part 1
Benefits of NIRS: Part 2
Benefits of NIRS: Part 3
Benefits of NIRS: Part 4