Optical Analysis

Understanding the Optical Properties of Polymers

The optical properties of polymers, such as gloss, transparency, and color, play a crucial role in determining the quality and visual performance of plastic products. These properties are affected by various factors, such as the type of polymer, additives used, and processing conditions.

Optical properties testing is essential to maintain the desired aesthetics of the product during development, production, and end-use applications. Expert laboratories provide independent testing services to accurately analyze a range of optical properties, and deliver valuable insights that can accelerate development, optimize production, or troubleshoot issues.

During production, several steps, including coloration, heat treatment, and mechanical processing, can affect optical properties. Expert laboratories offer testing programs that cover fundamental tests such as gloss, haze, birefringence, and UV/VIS light absorption and transmission, to help optimize production and achieve optical property specifications.

Polymer scientists have a comprehensive understanding that the optical properties of polymers are closely related to the chemical microstructure, thermal and physical properties of these materials. As such, they provide expertise that spans chemical, physical, mechanical, and thermal testing.

In summary, polymer optical properties testing is critical to maintaining the desired aesthetics of a product. Independent laboratory testing services offer valuable insights that can accelerate development, optimize production, and troubleshoot issues related to optical properties. The comprehensive expertise offered by scientists and industry application experts can provide guidance to achieve improvements in a material's optical properties.