Identification plastics

The future control of the product and pack then revolves around these documents. In the case of a plastic pack or plastic components, it may be necessary not only to define certain critical factors in the specification tightly, but also to purchase under a certificate of warranty, as exhaustive QC procedures (particularly biological tests), which might be necessary to detect change, could involve prohibitive costs. Regular QC checks are likely to include melt flow index, density, IR or DSC identity, etc. The last two are a particularly useful means of providing plastic identification, with DSC now more widely used. 

What is the relationship between the discussion of the optimum temperature for radiative heaters for thermoforming and plastics identification using IR spectrophotometry ... 

Your company wants to use the SPI plastics identification symbol on all components of its package systems, including caps, lids, pouches, etc. What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing so Would you favor such a policy Discuss. 

As an aid in the identification of the type of plastic used in semifinished plastic materials or in plastic moldings, the Plastics Identification Table by Hj. Saechtling included in this book (Section 9.1) has proved to be quite useful. Starting from the appearance of the material and its elastic behavior, the table leads to a series of simple tests that allow further differentiation between types of plastics. Procedures used in these tests, mentioned in the headings of the table, are described in detail at appropriate places in the text of this book. For such tests it is sufficient to take small splinters or filings removed from the sample at some inconspicuous place. 

An extensive compilation of physical properties, solubilities, pyrolysis behavior, and some characteristic identification of individual plastics are contained in the Plastics Identification Table of Hj. Saechtling (see Section 9.1). 

Chapter 5 discusses the reasons and techniques for identifying plastics in collections. In addition to establishing the age and technological history of a plastic, identification indicates the factors and pathways by which degradation is likely to occur and thus helps the conservator to develop a treatment strategy. Simple tests enable identification of the polymer type while instrumental techniques are necessary if the various components are to be characterized. This chapter describes simple and non-destructive tests, simple and destructive tests, chemical spot tests and instrumental analytical techniques which are applied to plastics in collections today. 

A NIR spectrometer system has been described based on optical fibres for absorption and reflexion measurements, an AOTF and a transputer system. It is able to detect 1,000 spectra per second and to identify 20 pieces per second (209). The identification system was implemented and tested for a real-world application of plastic identification in municipal solid waste. 

POST-CONSUMER PLASTIC IDENTIFICATION USING RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY... 

The following types of commercial plastics identification equipment have been developed and are in use ... 

Figure 14.9. Use of bench-top mid-infrared rapid plastics identification equipment. Photo courtesy of MBA Polymers, Inc.

ASTM International also has a standard for plastics identification, D1972, Standard Practice for Generic Marking of Plastic Products. It provides for a triangle with the resin identification below. For the most part, standard resin abbreviations are used these are tabulated in the standard. Copolymers and blends are identified with the two base polymers separated by a slash. ... 

Hamos GmbH of Penzberg, Germany, also has an IR-based plastics identification system for recycling applications. The compaw also manufactures equipment for color sorting that can be used in recycling processes. ... 

In this scheme is also presented the plastic identification code (PIC) of PET. 

Figure 9-2. Examples of plastics identification in a computer-aided chemistry laboratory. Courtesy Perkin-Elmer Corp.

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