Plastic/Polymer Failure Analysis

One of the major reasons for plastic/polymer failure is an incorrect formulation of the product initially. The inhomogeneous mixing/processing of polymers can be another reason why final products do not meet the specification. Analyzing the plastic/polymer component can be useful in failure diagnosis [1].Failure analysis has been applied in improving product quality, new product development, and arbitration invalidation accidents. Failure analysis is the process of collecting and analyzing data to determine the reason of a failure, often with the goal of determining corrective actions or liability.

The common failure phenomena:

The failure of plastic and polymer materials is often caused by the inhomogeneous distribution of components inside the polymeric material. A large number of composition failure problems can be solved by carrying out a series of tests including a polymer identification check using FTIR, a bulk composition analysis using TGA/DSC and a molecular weight determination using GPC.

Environmental Stress Cracking

Environmental stress cracking (ESC) is the premature initiation of cracking and embrittlement of a plastic due to the simultaneous action of stress and strain and contact with specific fluids. The source of stress is often unavoidable from molding process. The fluid is often supplied by agencies such as adhesives, paints, cleaning agents and inks.

Because this type of failure is associated with specific volatile fluids which are normally present in small concentrations that can be analyzed using GC-MS. There are cases where stress cracking can occur due to the migration of a less volatile liquid with complex composition (such as silicone oil which causes cracking of polyethylene). Thus we can perform solvent extraction for plastic/ polymer materials, and then apply LC-MS or HPLC for analysis.

Contamination Problems

Contaminations like particles, fibers or inclusions may be the reason for plastic failure. The contamination can be in the form of solid, discreet entities that makes their removal from the product relatively easy. If a mixture of chemicals is suspected, a bulk composition using TGA together with GC-MS, ICP-MS, AAS, etc.

Odor and Emissions Problems

Another type of failure is odor, especially in packaging applications. This odor is ubiquitous dueto oxygenated degradation products of the plastic. However, it can be detected and analyzed using headspace GC-MS.

Our laboratories have experienced experts to help your plastic/polymer failure analysis. Our testing facilities, equipped with state-of-the-art technologies can provide fast turnaround time, accurate data, lower cost and better services. No matter what your concern is, we are always ready to help. If you have any problems, please contact us without hesitation.

Reference

• Hahladakis JN, Velis CA, Weber R, Iacovidou E, Purnell P(2018) An overview of chemical additives present in plastics: Migration, release, fate and environmental impact during their use, disposal and recycling, Journal of Hazardous Materials 179-199.