Deformulation and Failure Analysis of Polymers using Pyrolysis-GC/MS

Subtle differences in polymer formulations are common. But they rarely influence the final product’s overall performance. However, there are instances when a product is observed to be more brittle, or can be easily deformed, or fail during routine use. When this occurs, the search for differences between “good” and “bad” products begins.

Detailed analyses of the these “like” polymers will often reveal differences in the polymer composition, additive package, and the presence of unwanted contaminants or unexpected chemical linkages. Compared to traditional methodologies for material characterization that are based on solvent extraction, filtration, and concentration, the latest advances in Pyrolysis-GC/MS (pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry) based on micro-furnace technology offer:

• Better efficiency and accuracy when analyzing the organic composition of virtually any material
• Solids to be analyzed “as is” without needing sample preparation, pretreatment or solvents
• Greater lab efficiency by eliminating cumbersome steps that can produce analyst-to-analyst variability while producing data of limited value.

Key Webinar Takeaways:

• Observe a step-by-step analytical protocol for deformulation and failure analysis of two rubber pump diaphragms.
• Learn how the micro-furnace Pyrolysis-GC/MS technique enables quick and efficient characterization of polymer and additive materials while performing detailed failure analysis.
• A strategic “chemical method map” approach is also described using multiple modes of the micro-furnace pyrolyzer for performing deformulation analysis on different types of samples.

Presenter: Rojin Belganeh (Technical Director, Frontier Lab Americas)

Rojin Belganeh is the Technical Director at Frontier Lab Americas. Rojin graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. She started her profession as an analytical chemist at Nalco Champion-An Ecolab company in 2012. As an analytical chemist, Rojin worked with various analytical instruments, such as Pyrolysis GCMS, TGA, FTIR, and X-Rays for material characterization, polymer identification, and contamination analysis. She also holds an MBA degree concentrating in strategic marketing from the University of Houston-Victoria. As a former user for more than five years, Rojin joined Frontier Laboratories in May of 2017. She is very passionate in creating awareness about Frontier technology and providing technical support to users.

Athena Nguyen (Technical Support Specialist, Frontier Lab Americas)

Athena Nguyen graduated from University of Houston in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree of science in chemistry. She started her career as an analytical chemist with over three years of experience in gas chromatography. She has an extensive background and highly knowledgeable in qualitative and quantitative analysis of organic compounds and polymer materials. Athena joined Frontier-Labs in January 2020. As a technical support specialist, one of her responsibilities is to facilitate sample analyses in the laboratory using pyrolysis-GC/MS.