Master Polymer Analysis: FTIR, DMA & DSC for Accurate Material Characterization

Accelerate your plastics development by using DSC to its full potential and interpret qualitative & quantitative data to minimize additive interactions, fine-tune processing, avoid premature failure...

Jeffrey Jansen will help you understand:

• how DSC experiments are run for precise results without using large samples
• how to troubleshoot when polymeric materials do not perform as expected
• which materials need to be altered for accurate results

Course Outline

• Module 01:

  Fundamentals of Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) in polymer analysis

  • Overview of DSC
  • Understand how DSC experiments are run for polymers
  • How to review & interpret DSC analysis data?

• Module 02:

  Application of DSC to Polymer Systems

  • Identification of polymers, polymer blends, polymer additives…
  • Material condition (degradation, purity, oxidative stability, molded-in stress…)
  • Polymer properties (crystallinity, heat history…)
• Module 03:

  Modulated DSC

  • Standard DSC vs modulated DSC
  • Operating principle
  • Commonly plotted MDSC signals
• Module 04:

  DSC Test Methods & Thermogram Interpretation

  • Important parameters to consider (sample pan, calibration, purge gas…)
  • Determining the starting point of the data
  • Endothermic vs exothermic
  • Thermogram artifacts
• Module 05:

  Main Sources of Errors in DSC

  • Pitfalls to avoid for best results
• Module 06:

  Real Life Cases (Automotive sleeve, Electrical housing, Plastic coupling…)

Unlock the full potential of Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) to develop and optimize polymeric and rubber materials with precision. Predict material behavior, failure risks, and performance under real-world conditions with accurate results through the right setup and interpretation.

Join industry expert Mark DeMeuse to:

• Set up tests correctly—from sample preparation to key parameters like strain, temperature & frequency.
• Control key performance factors—HDT, creep behavior, physical aging & more
  
• Extract deeper insights from your DMA graphs to optimize modulus, elasticity & damping behavior.
• Accelerate analysis, extrapolate results, and meet application requirements faster

Master DMA techniques to drive better material decisions and product performance!

Course Outline

• Module 01:

  Introduction to DMA – How DMA Can Help

  • Understanding the role of DMA in polymer development
  • Key advantages and applications in material characterization
• Module 02:

  Setup Guide – Sample Preparation & Key Testing Parameters

  • Best practices for sample preparation
  • Key testing parameters: frequency, temperature, strain, and time
• Module 03:

  DMA Fingerprints Interpretation

  • Example of Typical DMA Data Output and Its Meaning
  • Analysis of data generated at different frequencies
• Module 04:

  How to Relate DMA Data to Thermosets / Thermoplastics Performance

  • Gelation & Vitrification times (TTT Diagram)
  • Correlation of Tg to Heat Deflection Temp. (HDT)
  • Creep behavior
  • Physical aging
• Module 05:

  How to Detect Raw Material Interactions using DMA data

  • Polymer Blends & Mixtures (Compatibility Considerations)
  • Effect of additives/fillers addition on DMA fingerprints
• Module 06:

  Practical Examples of Use of DMA

  • DMA of Epoxy/Nanocomposite Mixtures
  • Effect of RH on Tg of Nylon
  • Increasing use temperatures of epoxies
  • General Effect of Fillers on DMA curves

Master FTIR to ease problem solving (minimize failure, predict future cases in advance…) by gaining expertise in graph analysis to efficiently characterize your plastic materials.

Jeff Jansen, leading polymeric material analysis & failure expert will discuss:

• Plastics characterization (identification, contamination...) with real life examples
• Failure analysis by identifying the root cause & how to minimize them
• How FTIR can be complemented with other techniques like DSC, TMA, TGA...

Course Outline

• Module 01:

  Theory Behind the Technique (brief coverage of the principles of FTIR)

• Module 02:

  FTIR Applications to Characterize Polymeric Materials / Information That FTIR Can Provide (through case studies)

  • Material Identification
  • Contamination
  • Degradation
• Module 03:

  Overcoming Challenges in Sample Preparation (how to get the data needed out of the experiment)

• Module 04:

  Sample Preparation Techniques

  • Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR)
  • Reflectance
  • Micro-FTIR
• Module 05:

  Interpreting the Test Results

  • Manual Spectral Band – Functionality Assignment
  • Computer Assisted Interpretation
• Module 06:

  When and How to Supplement FTIR With Other Techniques to Get the Most Information (DSC, TGA, Mass Spectroscopy)

• Module 07:

  Failure Analysis – Mechanism & Causes

• Module 08:

  Case Studies (showing FTIR alone and with other techniques)

  • Failure of a polycarbonate vehicle grille
  • PTFE and Aramid modified polycarbonate clips
  • And many more...

  Have a query? Email us for any help!

Tired of material analysis guesswork? Master powerful techniques for optimal results! 

It’s time to stop drowning in data from DMA, DSC, and FTIR analyses ending up with no actionable information! Material development and optimization depend on accurate analysis. Don't let limited understanding hold you back.

Course Outline

• Module 01:

  Plastics Development & Role of Multiple Characterization Techniques

• Module 02:

  Characterization Methods Commonly Employed with Plastics Materials (in the scope of discussion of this course)

  • FTIR: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
  • DSC: differential scanning calorimetry
  • TGA: thermogravimetric analysis
  • GC-MS: gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy
  • GPC: gel permeation chromatography
  • DMA: dynamic mechanical analysis
• Module 03:

  When to best use which characterization tool?

• Module 04:

  Correlation of Material properties & Plastics Performance

  • Crystallinity, Molecular Weight, Thermal History, Specific Heat Capacity, Viscoelasticity, Reaction Kinetics, Degree of cure…
• Module 05:

  Application of Analytical Techniques to Plastics Developments

  • Polymers/Additives identification (minimize unwanted interactions)
  • Purity / Contamination
  • Oxidative stability
• Module 06:

  Combination of data generated by different methods

• Module 07:

  Optimization of Plastics Formulations using data from different methods

  • Polymer Blends Compatibility
  • Addition of Additives/fillers
  • Use of data to optimize formulations
• Module 08:

  Real life cases on plastics performance optimization (on use of different methods, data extraction and combining info in optimal way)