Analytical Services Laboratory R.T. Vanderbilt Company, Inc.

The activities of the Analytical Services laboratory include: QC/QA for our manufacturing plants Technical support for customers, research and development, and the application labs Analysis of raw materials and resale products to qualify new sources of materials Test method development/validation

Bench Chemistry Analytical Services performs a wide variety of wet chemical analyses, including pH, density, colorimetry, viscosity, titrations, melting points, Karl Fisher, among others. Our quality is supported by ASTM and over 1000 internal test methods which are in compliance with ISO regulations.

Advanced Instrumentation Elemental Analysis Particle Size High Performance Liquid Chromatography Gas Chromatography UV/Visible Infrared Analysis Atomic Absorption Differential Scanning Calorimeter Thermogravimetric Analysis

Elemental Analysis PE 2400 Series II CHNS Analyzer A common quality control tool used by our laboratory is the PE 2400 Series II CHNS Analyzer. The 2400 Series II gives our laboratory the capability of multiple analysis options, including Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, and Sulfur. Along with our quality control analysis, this instrument also allows us to assist our Organic Research Laboratory in sample characterization.

Particle Size Beckman Coulter LS 130 Analyzer The LS 130 particle size analyzer provides size information for particles in the 0.1 to 900 um range. It uses a different light scattering method, Polarization Intensity Differential Scattering. PIDS is based on a property of light called polarization that is not used in the ordinary testing measurements. It can be characterized by the direction of light. This instrument is used as a research tool to determine particle size data for our products.

High Performance Liquid Chromatography :Agilent Series 1100 High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) is the analytical technique used to separate the components of mixtures by differential distribution between a liquid mobile phase and a solid stationary phase. HPLC is primarily used for quantitative analysis of either major or trace components. Other applications include qualitative analysis to fingerprint batches of final product, rapid reaction monitoring to look for the starting material disappearance, formation of intermediates and the final product and by-product appearance. It can also be used for the quantitation of residual monomers in polymers and standards purification.

Gas Chromatography Agilent Series 6890 Gas Chromatography (GC) is the analytical technique used to separate volatile components by partitioning between a gas mobile phase and a liquid or solid stationary phase. GC is mainly used for quantitative analysis of either major or trace components. Other applications include analysis of residual solvent in a commercial product, monitoring reaction completion by looking at the disappearance of starting material and formation of final product, and as an approval technique of a new source of raw material.

Ultraviolet and Visible Spectrometry: PE Lambda 25 Ultraviolet and Visible (UV/VIS) Spectrometry is an outstanding method used for the quantitation of substances that absorb in the nm region. Our Perkin Elmer Lambda 25 UV/VIS Spectrometer is mainly used in a variety of colorimetric determinations.

Infrared Analysis PE Spectrum One Infrared Spectroscopy (IR) is one of the most common spectroscopic techniques in our laboratory. For IR analyses we employ the Perkin Elmer FT-IR Spectrum One Spectrometer. This is a Mid and Near IR system designed for demanding QA/QC environments like our own. We also use IR to identify all types of organic and inorganic compounds, including functional groups in unknown substances, the cause of blooms on polymer samples, identification of polymer type, and many other applications.

Atomic Absorption PE Analyst 300 Our laboratory uses the Perkin Elmer Analyst 300 Spectrometer to perform multi-element analysis. The Analyst 300 is a double-beam atomic absorption system capable of performing flame, furnace, and mercury/hydride sampling. Our laboratory performs only flame analyses using both an air-acetylene and nitrous-oxide flame. We commonly use atomic absorption as a quality control tool for our manufacturing plants, routinely analyzing for such metals as copper, molybdenum, sodium and zinc.

Differential Scanning Calorimeter :TAI Q100 The DSC determines the temperature and heat flow associated with material transitions as a function of time and temperatures. It can also provide quantitative and qualitative information on exothermic and endothermic processes of compounds during their physical transitions. Our laboratory routinely uses DCS to determine melting points as well as the oxidative induction time of various polyethylene compounds.

Thermogravimetric Analyzer:TAI Q500 TGA measures the amount and rate of weight change in a compound either as a function of increasing temperature, or isothermally as a function of time, in a controlled atmosphere. It can be used to identify material that exhibits a weight change and/or to detect phase changes due to oxidation, decomposition or dehydration. We often use the Hi-Res TGA to obtain a total compound analysis of polymer samples among other experiments.