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Thermal testing uses the application of various and/or changing temperature extremes to cause measurable changes in a material. This testing may be initiated for a variety of reasons, ranging from material identification to performance under varying temperatures, to identifying contaminates. Some of these tests are discussed below.

For a complete list of our thermal testing services, please see the complete Test List.

Please fill out our Guest Book if you have any questions about the thermal tests we offer.

Material Identification

Since various polymers display distinctive behavior characteristics when subjected to a wide range of temperatures, their identity may be determined by subjecting them to temperature change. By recording a polymer's behavior as the temperature changes under a controlled environment, the type of polymer and the presence of co-polymers may be detected. The primary tests used for this purpose are:

• Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)
• Fourier-Transform Infrared (FT-IR)
• Infrared Spectroscopy (IR)
  
  

Material Quality and Composition

Several thermal tests can provide an indication of a material's quality. By comparing the results of a test, such as a Melt Flow Rate or DSC on a material to the manufacturer's specification or a control sample, material degradation may be detected. This can often help determine where a possible manufacturing problem may lie, such as polymer breakdown due to improper molding or extrusion parameters.

Other tests such as Ash Content, Carbon Black Content, and Carbon Black Dispersion can give an indication of how well mixed and homogeneous a compound is. For applications requiring reinforced compounds or UV protection, this can be important to ultimate product performance.

When Ash Content is used on a reinforced compound, the quality and potential effectiveness of a glass filler may be determined, in addition to the content of the reinforcing material. CRT can also examine fiber length, which is important when using regrind (filled) materials.

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Safety

Several thermal tests are required by listing agencies to ensure a product's safety. These tests include, among others, Flammability testing, Environmental Stress Crack Resistance (ESCR), Heat Deflection Temperature, and Brittleness Temperature determination. These tests assure that the compound meets certain flammability requirement for filed performance.

These tests are used to determine that a part will not fail under adverse conditions, such as in the ESCR testing; the tests may also tell us at what point a part or material fails, as with the Brittleness temperature test, or at what rate a failure occurs as in the Flammability testing.

Some examples of thermal tests for safety requirements:

• ESCR testing on Natural Gas Pipes & Materials
• ASTM & UL Flammability testing on Electric Housings and Materials
• Carbon Black Content percentage

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Long-Term Performance

Some thermal testing is used to provide an indication of a product's or material's performance over time. Using Accelerated Weathering testing with a QUV Panel in conjunction with various Mechanical and Physical tests provides information about a product or material's performance over its service life. This helps to define and determine if a specific material is suitable for outdoor applications or its proposed use.

This testing is also used to pinpoint the time for a product or material deteriorates and when physical properties are measured on before and after exposed samples, the rate at which the material starts to lose its strength is determined and reviewed for acceptability.

Should you need additional information about CRT Laboratories' testing capabilities please contact us via our RFQ Form or call us at (714) 283-2032. You may fax a request for a proposal at (714) 283-1365.