Product Improvement

FTIR Made Easy for Better Identification of Plastics

FTIR Made Easy for Better Identification of Plastics
Language: English
Length: 90 min
Nov 19, 2025 03:00 PM
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Course Description

FTIR is powerful but easy to misuse. Misidentifications usually come from the basics: wrong sampling mode (ATR vs. transmission), poor contact or thickness, carbon-black/filled parts, aged/oxidized surfaces, sloppy baselines, and over-trust in library “best hits.” The result? Conflicting answers, reruns, and delays in QA, failure analysis, and recycling lines.
This course turns FTIR into a reliable, repeatable ID tool. We’ll walk a practical sample-to-answer workflow: pick the right mode, set parameters (resolution, scans, pressure), prep difficult samples (black, multilayer, thin films), run clean library searches, confirm tough calls (blends, additives, oxidation), and report results your team will trust.
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Jeffrey A Jansen
Jeffrey A Jansen
The Madison Group
0 courses

Jeffrey A. Jansen is the Engineering Manager and a Partner at The Madison Group, an independent plastics engineering and consulting firm. Jeff is a proven plastic professional with more than 30 years of experience solving problems and addressing opportunities related to polymeric materials. He specializes in failure analysis, material identification and selection, as well as compatibility, aging, and lifetime prediction studies for thermoplastic materials. Jeff has performed over 5,000 investigations, both for industrial clients and as a part of litigation. He regularly presents live seminars and webinars covering a wide range of topics related to plastics failure, material performance, testing, and polymer technology. Jeff is a graduate of Carroll College and the Milwaukee School of Engineering

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Why should you view this course?

Because you need fast, defensible identifications, not mystery spectra. In this course, you’ll learn how to get good data the first time, avoid common traps, and standardize an FTIR workflow that works for virgin plastics, regrind, and unknowns from the field.

  1. Sample → Answer playbook: A clear decision path for ATR vs. transmission, parameter setup, and quick checks so you stop wasting runs.

  2. Interpret with confidence: Read peaks that matter, spot oxidation/fillers, handle blends and multilayers, and keep libraries from misleading you. Pair with techniques like DSC/TGA/TMA when needed.

  3. Real-world cases: From motor & pump housings, wire insulation to nylon-11 tanks, PE tubing, PC grilles, and many more case-studies - learn fixes you can apply tomorrow.

Who should join this course?

  • QA/QC & lab analysts verifying incoming materials or investigating failures

  • Recyclers & converters sorting/qualifying rPP, rPE, rPET, ABS, etc.

  • Process/application engineers & tech managers needing fast confirmation on line issues.

  • Procurement/inspection teams validating supplier claims or unknown parts.

  • Complete the course and (unlock your personalized certificate)– your badge of accomplishment awaits!

  • This course is suitable for intermediate level proficiency
    Intermediate
Questions you will be able to answer after this course:

  1. ATR or transmission? Choose the right mode, crystal/contact, and parameters for your sample.

  2. How do I prep tricky parts? Handle black/filled pieces, thin films, rigid plaques, and multilayers without destroying features.

  3. What am I really seeing? Distinguish PE vs. PP, PA vs. PET/PC; recognize blends and common additives/fillers.

  4. Is it aged or contaminated? Spot oxidation (e.g., carbonyl index cues), moisture, processing residues, and surface treatments.

  5. Can I trust this library hit? Improve search scores, avoid false positives, and apply quick confirmatory checks.

  6. How do I report it? Build a short, defensible FTIR note that QA, suppliers, or customers will accept.

Course Outline

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

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

  • Material Identification
  • Contamination
  • Degradation

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

Sample Preparation Techniques

  • Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR)
  • Reflectance
  • Micro-FTIR

Interpreting the Test Results

  • Manual Spectral Band – Functionality Assignment
  • Computer Assisted Interpretation

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

Failure Analysis – Mechanism & Causes

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!

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Prerequisites for this course

Basic familiarity with polymer families (PE, PP, PVC, PET, PC, PA, ABS) and lab safety; able to operate or access an FTIR.

30 min Q & As for this course
Interact directly with your tutor and clarify your doubts
  1. 30 mins per session for Questions and Answers
  2. Clarify your doubts.
  3. If your questions are not answered, dont worry you will recieve tutor’s reply via email after sessions.
FTIR Made Easy for Better Identification of Plastics
€299
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