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Home » About LTI » Capabilities » Polymer Testing

Polymer Testing

Added Convenience for Aerospace, Military, Medical & Other Industries

Laboratory Testing Inc. continues to expand its line of materials testing services with polymer testing, including testing of plastic and rubber. Known for over 25 years as a specialist in metals testing, LTI has seen the increased need for polymer and plastics testing in the aerospace, military, medical and other industries that we have serviced for years. The addition of a polymer testing lab provides a convenience for many customers requiring both metal and polymer testing services. A number of services are currently provided by LTI for certification of polymeric materials, while others are planned for the near future. Polymer and plastics testing capabilities include tensile and hardness testing, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (SEM/EDS).

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)

FTIR is an analytical technique used to identify organic and some inorganic materials. The spectrometer used in FTIR analysis creates an absorption spectra with absorbance peaks that provide information about the chemical bonds and molecular structure of the test material. The data can be used to identify the general type of material under analysis by comparing the analytical spectrum with cataloged reference spectra to identify base polymers and additives.

Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (SEM/EDS)

Magnification and digital imaging capabilities provided by our scanning electron microscope assist in failure analysis and determination of properties for polymers, metals and other materials. The SEM produces high resolution images at magnifications from 5x to 300,000x to aid in fractography, chemical attack, and particulate evaluation.

Hardness Testing

The hardness of polymers is measured by the Shore Durometer Test at LTI, in accordance with ASTM D2240. This method determines a material’s hardness value or resistance to indentation by penetration of an indenter into the test sample. Because the flexibility of polymers varies, LTI is equipped with various indenters to use for testing different types of materials from elastomers to rigid plastics.

Tensile Testing

Tensile testing to measure tensile strength, yield and ductility is performed on a 10,000 lb. tensile machine capable of testing polymeric samples.