Physical properties testing

Do you need to quantify or measure the physical properties of your plastic material? Determining the physical properties of materials is essential to classify them. These properties are measurable or observable, such as shape, colour, odour, mass, density, melting point, solubility, and chemical resistance, and they basically depend on the material’s structure.

Testing of physical properties

In AIMPLAS we offer different solutions to determine the physical properties of a plastic material. Physical properties can be determined depending on the need and the field of application of each product, (packaging, construction, rubbish bags, automotive plastics, etc.). Some of the properties tested are:

The density of a body (ρ)

This is the ratio of its mass (m) to its volume (V), in other words, the mass per volume unit. There are different ways to determine the density of a plastic material, such as specific and bulk density. The density of a body is determined according to standards ASTM D792-13, UNE-EN ISO 1183-1:2013 and UNE-EN 13341:2005 +A1:2011.

Water and moisture absorption

This is a very important physical property both for the processing of raw materials and for the behaviour of the final product obtained. The general standard for plastic materials is UNE-EN ISO 62:2008.

Chemical resistance

This is the property that measures the resistance of materials to different chemical agents. The methodology used to evaluate this property varies considerably and depends, in most cases, on the product’s final application. In this type of tests, both the absorption of the test liquid (mass and dimensional variation) and the alteration of the mechanical properties of the sample exposed to the chemical attack are studied. The general test standard is UNE 53316:2012.

Permeability Tests

The barrier properties of packaging are key to preserving foodstuffs, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, etc. These properties are determined by the transmission rate of a gas through a material. The gases that most affect the shelf life of packaged products are oxygen and water vapour.

AIMPLAS’ laboratory has a wide experience in the performance of these tests and is one of the two Spanish laboratories accredited by ENAC according to the ASTM D3985, ASTM F1927 and ATM F1249.

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OTR and WVTR test

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Our labortories

Our analysis and testing laboratories have a broad range of measuring equipment to determine all of the physical properties mentioned above, including scales and accessories for density determination, a pycnometer for solids, stoves, climatic chambers, desiccators, and flasks for chemical resistance.

In addition, we have a team of experts to carry out more thorough, in-depth tests that require specific techniques and visual methods.

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Neus Soriano

Characterisation Laboratory