Moisture Determination of Plastic with the Precisa 530 PBM 60-HR Moisture Analyzer
Introduction
Polymers are the fundamental building blocks of plastics and can absorb and retain moisture from their environment. The physical and mechanical properties of polymers and plastics are significantly impacted by moisture and water content, affecting dimensional stability, mechanical strength, degradation rate, and electrical conductivity. Even a small amount of excess moisture can compromise the structural integrity of the plastic component. Conversely, too little moisture can result in increased brittleness and susceptibility to breakage.
Precise quantification of moisture content is essential for ensuring the consistency and reliability of plastic materials in diverse applications, ranging from packaging materials to medical devices. This application note will show how the 530 PBM 60-HR moisture analyzer can be utilized for accurate plastic moisture analysis, for fast and reproducible results.
Materials and Method
Our application scientist determined the moisture content of plastic using our Precisa 530 PBM 60-HR according to the parameters set out in Table 1. The sample was evenly dispersed on our weighing pan to ensure accurate results (Figure 1).
| Description of Sample | Heavy-duty polypropylene pellets |
| Utensils | Spatula |
| Preparation | Evenly dispersed on a weighing pan |
| Sample Weight (+/-10%) | 10g |
| Temperature Program | Standard |
| Temperature | 105oC |
| Auto-Stop Parameters | 2mg / 90 seconds |
| Reference Method | Air oven, 105oC for 2 hours |
Table 1: Method Parameters
Figure 1: Plastic sample evenly dispersed on weighing pan
Results
The sample was analyzed three times following the same parameters. Table 2 outlines the moisture content for each analysis, the average moisture content, the standard deviation, and the average analysis time.
The average moisture content was 0.11%, with the standard deviation being 0.0008%.
| Analysis | Moisture content (%) |
| 1 | 0.111 |
| 2 | 0.113 |
| 3 | 0.112 |
| Average moisture content | 0.112 |
| Standard deviation | 0.0008 |
| Expected moisture content | 0.11 (on average) |
| Average analysis time | 13 minutes |
Table 2: Moisture content results and average moisture content of sample
Conclusion
The Precisa 530 PBM 60-HR moisture analyzer can quickly and accurately determine the moisture content of plastic samples, even with a low sample weight. The results are comparable to the oven reference method in the method table.
Precisa 530 PBM 60-HR Moisture Analyzer
Our Series 530 PBM 60-HR moisture analyzer is the ideal instrument for your low moisture content samples. The exciting features of this new moisture analyzer include:
- Excellent performance for samples with a low moisture content (such as polymers and plastics)
- Only a small sample amount of sample is required for fast and efficient moisture analysis
- Contains unique PHASTblocTM hybrid weighing, providing you with a repairable instrument
- Automated lid opening for higher sample throughput
- All parts at the bottom of the heating chamber can be disassembled and reassembled by hand for easy cleaning
Piqued your interest? If your laboratory needs its moisture analyzers upgraded; the 530 Moisture Analyzer is the high-performance kit you need – contact our sales team today to find out more.