An Introduction and Case-study of In-situ Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR): Control of Residual Isocyanates in Polyurethane Polymerizations

General ILL Seminar Organised by College 9
Thursday, 12 July 2018 at 10:00 a.m.
Science building, Seminar room SB-036

Florian Eigenmann
Mettler-Toledo GmbH, Head of Reaction Analysis with IR / EU, CH-8603 Schwerzenbach
Florian.eigenmann@mt.com

Isocyanates are critical building blocks for high performance polyurethane based polymers that make up coatings, foams, adhesives, elastomers, and insulation. With demand expanding globally, the market for isocyanates is expected to grow to $39 billion by 2019.
Controlling isocyanate reactions begins with process understanding. Yet, traditional analytical methods for measuring the residual isocyanate (NCO) concentration using offline sampling and analysis introduces concerns such as:

o    Long wait times for offline analytical results making it impossible to make real-time decisions
o    Sufficient process knowledge lacking at any given time point
o    Exposure to NCO samples increasing the risk of sensitization and human health risks

In situ monitoring with process analytical technology addresses these challenges. Specifically, in situ mid-IR spectroscopy with an attenuated total reflectance (ATR) sensor is an ideal choice due to its selectivity and sensitivity.

I. Hoffmann
(College 9 Secretary)

External visitors may ask for a site access to tellier(at)ill.eu