MicroMB Technology Center offers innovative technical services and solutions aligned with customer needs. It provides quality control testing, analytical testing and troubleshooting services.
Our experienced chemists and polymer engineers are dedicated to formulate tailor compounds and assist in de-formulation projects. In addition, our skilled technicians can perform trials on our lab production lines replicating many manufacturing backgrounds.
ANALYTICAL TESTING
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Differential Scanning Calorimetry (ASTM D3417/D3418)
SC is used to identify materials, differentiate homopolymers from copolymers or to characterize materials from their thermal performance.
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Oxidative-Induction Time (ASTM D3895-04)
OIT is a qualitative assessment of the level (or degree) of oxidative stability of the material tested. The OIT method is performed using a DSC instrument.
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Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (ASTM E1131, ISO 11358)
In a Thermo Gravimetric Analysis, the percent weight loss of a test sample is recorded while the sample is being heated at a uniform rate in an appropriate environment. The loss in weight over specific temperature ranges provides an indication of the composition of the sample, including volatile and inert filler, as well as indications of thermal stability.
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Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (ASTM D5576)
FTIR is used for material identification of polymers. It can also be used to examine contaminants and some filler within the polymers and to measure the infra red absorbency (thermicity) of the greenhouse film.
COMPOSITE TESTING
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Ash Content (ASTM D5630)
The Ash Content test is used to determine the amount of fillers in a specimen after the polymer has been burnt off.
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Bulk Density (ASTM D1895B)
Bulk Density is defined as the weight per unit volume of material. Bulk density is primarily used for powders or pellets.
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Density and Specific Gravity (ASTM D792)
Density is the mass per unit volume of a material. Specific gravity is a measure of the ratio of mass of a given volume of material at 23°C to the same volume of deionized water.
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Moisture Content (ISO 787/2 at 105oC)
Moisture Content determines the quality of the compound as high moisture can result in fish eyes & defects in blown film applications.
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Filter Pressure Test (BS EN 13900-5:2005)
The Pressure Filter Test is used to determine the degree of dispersion of colorants in thermoplastic polymer.
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Surface Resistivity, Volume Resistivity (ASTM D257)
Surface Resistivity is the resistance to leakage current along the surface of an insulating material. Volume Resistivity is the resistance to leakage current through the body of an insulating material. The higher the surface/volume resistivity, the lower the leakage current and the less conductive the material is.
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
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Color Analysis (ASTM D6290, ASTM E1347, ASTM E308)
Color Analysis is used to match adjacent parts molded from different materials, or to evaluate color change due to outdoor exposure.
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Haze and Luminous Transmittance of Transparent Plastics (ASTM D1003)
Haze is the scattering of light as it passes through a transparent material, resulting in poor visibility and/or glare. Luminous Transmittance measures the amount of light that passes through a sample. Haze and Luminous Transmittance data are especially useful for quality control and specification purposes.
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Yellowness and Whiteness Indices (ASTM E313)
This practice provides numbers that correlate with visual ratings of yellowness or whiteness of white and near-white or colorless object-color specimens, viewed in daylight by an observer with normal color vision.
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Color and Strength of Chromatic Pigments (ASTM D387)
This test method is intended to be used to compare the color and strength of a pigment under test with a reference standard of the same type and grade.
RHEOLOGY OF POLYMERS
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Melt Flow Index (MFI) (ASTM D1238, ISO 1133)
Melt Flow Rate measures the rate of extrusion of thermoplastics through an orifice at a prescribed temperature and load.
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Shear and Extensional Rheology (Strain rate control)
Filler Dispersion level
Elastic and Viscous Shear and Extensional Moduli in the molten + solid states
Stress relaxation behavior
Shear + Extensional Viscosities in the molten + solid states
Creep behavior in the Solid (film) state
REF tool giving Extensional Viscosity as a function of Hencky (True Strain)
Point bending tool giving Flexural Strength
Polymer blend components’ miscibilities
Time-Temperature-Superposition data
WEATHERING AGENT TESTING
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Accelerated Weathering by QUV (ASTM D4329, ASTM D4587)
Accelerated Weathering simulates damaging effects of long term outdoor exposure of materials and coatings by exposing test samples to varying conditions of the most aggressive components of weathering - ultraviolet radiation, moisture and heat.