CRYSTEX® QC Instrument for Soluble Fraction

Description

The CRYSTEX® QC instrument, manufactured by Polymer Char, automates the process of determining the soluble, or amorphous, fraction content within polyolefin resins like polypropylene and polyethylene. It provides an automated alternative to conventional manual gravimetric techniques, which are labor-intensive and involve handling hot solvents. This system automates the complete analytical sequence: dissolving the polymer sample, separating the soluble amorphous material from the insoluble crystalline matrix, and performing online detection of the eluted fraction. It employs solvents such as 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (TCB) or ortho-dichlorobenzene (oDCB), which present lower flammability risks compared to solvents like xylene, thereby improving laboratory safety. A significant aspect is its compliance with the ISO 16152:2022 standard, where it is recognized as an automated method for determining xylene-soluble matter in polypropylene. Beyond measuring the percentage of soluble fraction, the integrated infrared detector (IR4) can supply additional data, including ethylene content and intrinsic viscosity values for the whole polymer sample, the isolated amorphous fraction, and the crystalline fraction. The instrument handles sample sizes up to 4 grams, with a complete analysis cycle—encompassing dissolution, separation, detection, and system rinsing—requiring approximately 2.5 hours per sample, all performed without manual intervention, precise sample weighing, or external filtration steps.