To request NAT services for your samples please download the following Analytical Services Submission Form.
Thermal Analysis by TGA and DSC
Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) monitors a change in mass of a substance as a function of the temperature or time when a sample is subjected to a controlled temperature program.  Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) measures a rate and degree of a heat change as a function of time or temperature. NAT offers a wide range of tests in thermal analysis including TGA-FT-IR that allows detecting gases released in a TGA experiment by infra-red spectroscopy:

• Temperatures and heat of fusion, vaporization and crystallization
• Heat of reaction, including polymerization, oxidation and combustion
• Temperature and heat of decomposition (e.g., dehydration)
• Heat of solution, adsorption or desorption
• Specific heat, activation energy, polymer crystallinity, curing time
• Material purity, thermal and oxidative stability
• Reactivity and reaction rates
• Temperature and glass transition, softening, linear coefficient of expansion

Granulometric Analysis
NAT carries out particle-size analysis using laser diffraction. The diffraction spectrum that is obtained when a laser beam passes through a suspension of solid particles in a liquid is dependent on the dimensions of the particles and the distribution of their sizes. For example, the dimensional characteristics of the fillers used in plastic materials have a great influence on both the properties of a final compound, and in the production process and a quality control.
Microscopy Studies
NAT evaluates material properties using microscopy that allows studying of the compound's morphology and gathering of a more in-depth insight into the problems related to material defects and surface features. Our recent work for a major manufacturer of the temperature control packaging used in pharmaceuticals transportation and storage had revealed hard-to-detect plastic defects and helped the client to avoid substantial costs and product recalls.
Ageing Testing
Plastic materials are often exposed to high temperatures and UV radiation, elevated moisture levels, and contacts with solvents, oils, and gasoline. These factors impair lifetime of a manufactured product. Ageing tests allow evaluating material behaviors over time in model-operating conditions. Selected tests offered by NAT include:

• Glycol-Oil-Gasoline Immersion Test
• RTI - Thermal Ageing Test
• UV Ageing Test
• Tests in a climatic chamber at a controlled temperature and moisture