Rethinking the quality control of polymers: The benefits of near-infrared and Raman spectroscopy explained
Polymer manufacturers and processors are increasingly replacing wet chemical methods with non-destructive spectroscopic testing to ensure product quality. Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is particularly suited for quantifying key chemical and physical parameters such as moisture content, hydroxyl and acid number, melt flow rate, viscosity, and density, while Raman spectroscopy excels at characterizing chemical composition and identifying additives and impurities.
In an upcoming webinar on March 19, Dr. Maria Cartes and Kristen Frano from Metrohm take a closer look at both technologies. Diverse application examples will demonstrate how polymer manufacturers can use NIR and Raman spectroscopy to achieve a deeper understanding of their materials, improve product quality, reduce waste, and enhance the overall efficiency of their quality control process.
Maria and Kristen are joined by Dr. André Koch from Hauff-Technik, a leading manufacturer of sealing systems for cables, pipes, and building entries. André will explain how handheld Raman spectroscopy has helped Hauff-Technik establish a highly efficient solution for raw material identification (RMID).
At the end of the webinar, all three presenters will be available to answer questions in a live Q&A session.
Key learnings of this webinar:
- Understand the specific strengths of NIR and Raman spectroscopy for polymer analysis
- Understand why these technologies are complementary in their capabilities
- Learn how spectroscopy makes the entire polymer production process including quality control of the final product more efficient
Who should attend?
- Lab technicians, lab managers and QC managers from the polymer industry
Presenter: Dr. Maria Cartes (Product Specialist Spectroscopy, Metrohm International Headquarters)
Dr. Maria Cartes studied chemistry. After finishing her PhD studies on ethylene polymerization at the University of Seville (Spain), she moved to Switzerland to work as a postdoc. In 2021, Maria joined Metrohm, where she works as Product Specialist in the Competence Center Spectroscopy, providing international support and product training for NIRS.
Presenter: Dr. André Koch (Head of quality management and management systems, Hauff Technik)
André received his PhD in chemistry at the university of Ulm. He joined the nuclear industry for 7 years and then turned to the chemical industry, where he headed a physico-chemical GLP laboratory for pesticide analysis. Since 2018 André takes care of quality, environmental and occupational health and safety topics at Hauff-Technik, which is the leading company for wall insert technology.
Presenter: Kristen Frano (Product Manager Spectroscopy, Metrohm Spectro)
Kristen Frano joined B&W Tek (a Metrohm company) in 2016 as an application scientist specializing in laboratory and handheld Raman instrumentation. Over the years, she has collaborated with users on diverse applications including polymers, art conservation, and pharmaceuticals. Since 2022 Kristen has been supporting laboratory Raman products throughout Metrohm as a product manager based at Metrohm Spectro in Plainsboro, NJ (USA).
