Application of spectroscopic techniques in polymer packaging materials
Multilayer polymer laminate packaging materials are carefully engineered composite materials in which different polymer layers are selected to provide specific physical and chemical characteristics. This way, it is possible to customize properties such as mechanical strength and flexibility and to add barriers to environmental factors such as gases, moisture, and light. There is considerable variation in the thickness of the different polymer layers, ranging from a micron or less to more than 100 microns thick.
Confirming the identity of the various layers, as well as the thickness, is important for quality assurance and failure analysis, as well as for the reverse engineering of unknown multilayer polymer materials. Both Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy can be used to identify and distinguish among a wide range of different polymeric materials. When these techniques are coupled with a microscope, they are uniquely suited for the analysis of the individual layers in such multilayer materials.
Read the APPLICATION NOTES below to learn about the use of FTIR and Raman techniques for the complete characterization of polymer packaging materials.
APPLICATION NOTES
