Determination of Glass Fiber Content - METTLER TOLEDO

Determination of Glass Fiber Content

Sample

 Polyamide 6 pellets with and without glass fibers

 

Conditions

Measuring Cell: TGA50

Pan: Alumina, 70 μl no lid

Sample preparation: Disk cut from pellet

TGA measurement: Heating from 25 to 700°C at 10 K/min

Atmosphere: Nitrogen, 50 cm3/min

 

Evaluation

Above 500 °C, the residues, R, are as follows, 

PA6, base material, RPA6: 1.76%

PA6, fiber-reinforced, RGFRP: 27.40%

The glass fiber content αGF can be estimated from the difference of the two residues (indirect analysis):

αGF = [(RGFRP-RPA6)/(100-RPA6)]⋅100%. i.e. 26.1 %

 

Interpretation

Both samples exhibit two weight loss steps. The first is caused by the elimination of moisture - the samples have been kept in ambient air. The glass-fiber reinforced sample had absored less water because its polymer content was lower. 


Conclusions

Compositional analysis by TGA can determine the moisture, polymer and glass fiber content in a PA6 sample. The inflection point in the TGA polymer pyrolysis curve can be used for identification purposes. 

 

Determination of Glass Fiber Content | Thermal Analysis Handbook No.HB227 | Application published in METTLER TOLEDO TA Application Handbook Thermoplastics