Analytical Equipment

Analytical Equipment

High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)

• Routine analysis (quantification and/or comparative identification) of components in mixture
  
• Cleaning Validation Studies and Trace Analysis
  
• Purity analysis.
  

Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS)

• Routine analysis of components in mixture
  
• Cleaning Validation Studies and Trace Analysis
  
• Purity analysis Identification of unknown compounds (e.g. – contaminant materials)
  
• Volatile materials identification in solid and liquid samples by Headspace GC-MS.
  

Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) Spectroscopy

• Identification of materials
  
• Detection of intermolecular bonding.
  

Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC)

• Molecular weight determination of polymers
  
• Molecular Weight Distribution of polymers
  
• Comparative Analysis of loss of molecular weight of polymers through degradation.
  

Karl Fischer Coulometer

• % Moisture content of liquid and solid samples by Karl Fischer Coulometer.
  

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)

• Identification of glass transition temperature, crystalline melting temperature and crystallisation temperature of polymers
  
• Thermal Stability of materials (e.g. – oxidative induction time (OiT) of materials)
  
• DSC Identification of materials by their Crystalline Melting Temperature (according to IS EN ISO 3146:2000).
  

Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA)

• % Inorganic Content (including % Carbon Black and % CaCO3) by TGA (based on ISO 11358)
  
• Material Thermal Stability
  
• Moisture and Volatiles Content
  
• Composition of Multi-Component Systems
  
• Shelf-Life Studies and Decomposition Kinetics.
  

Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA)

• Mechanical-Thermal Properties of materials.
  

Scanning Electron Microscope System with EDX Detector

• SEM can be utilised to take highly detailed images of areas of interest on a sample (e.g. – fracture surfaces, contamination, etc)
  
• The EDX detector can be utilised to determine the elemental profile of the area under investigation (e.g. – elements present in material to defined steel type).
  

Mechanical Properties – Tensile, Compression, Flexural and Friction Analysis

• ISO testing on standard specimens or custom made samples
  
• Tensile testing to measure material strength and elongation (flexibility)
  
• Compression testing 3-point bend flexural testing to measure flexural strength and modulus (stiffness)
  
• Weld strength, tear strength and bond strength
  
• Friction testing of materials.
  

Impact Resistance

• Pendulum Impact testing to Charpy and Izod notched and un-notched tests
  
• Falling dart impact testing using instrumented impact tester
  
• Film impact testing using the ‘staircase method’
  
• Testing on ISO standard specimens or custom made samples
  
• Customised impact tests to simulate end product exposure.
  

Product Shelf Life Testing and Lifespan Estimation

• Oven ageing to determine lifespan of product
  
• Oven ageing to verify Product Shelf Life stability of Medical Products
  
• Humidity chamber also available for more specific environments
  
• UV aging
  
• Melt Flow Rate Analysis (MFR)
  
• MFR is the primary polymer property used to determine batch consistency and specification conformity. Directly correlates to the average molecular weight of the polymer
  
• Verification of incoming raw material MFR.
  

Imaging Microscope Systems

• Bright light and fluorescence microscope Imaging Systems
  
• Confocal microscope
  
• Application of digital sizing software to determine the dimensions of samples.
  

Goniometer

• Measurement of contact angle for assessment of hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity.
  

Drug Dissolution

• In-line Pharmacopeia standard method for the detection of the release rate of active pharmaceutical ingredients through UV detection
  
• Manual sample collection and analysis through HPLC also possible.
  

Rheometry

• Determination of the storage (elastic) modulus, loss modulus, viscosity and shear strength of swollen or molten polymers.
  

X-Ray Diffraction

• Non-destructive technique that reveals detailed information about the chemical composition and crystallographic structure of natural and manufactured matter.
  

Other tests

• Shore A and Shore D hardness
  
• Vicat Softening Point and Heat Deflection Temperature (HDT) Optical testing; Colour, light transmission and haze
  
• Abrasion testing
  
• Measurement of Chemical Resistance and absorption tests.
  

Materials Research Institute

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