- 9:50 AM
233e

Fast and Precise Quantification of Polymer and Petrochemical Products and Processes Using Automated Td-NMR Technology

Supriyo Ghosh, minispec Division, Bruker Optics Inc., 2700 N Crescent Ridge Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77381

The upstream and downstream processes in petrochemical and polymer industries involve application of various unit operations on raw materials. These processing steps induce multiple physico-chemical changes leading to the desirable properties in the final product. During the process development as well as the industrial-scale implementation of the same, monitoring of the effects of each processing step need to be fast, accurate and precise. TD-NMR (time domain nuclear magnetic resonance) is a technique which can be utilized to look into the products and physicochemical processes at a molecular level and precisely quantify them, using a small bench-top instrument. It obtains the signal from the atomic nucleus in a material. Mathematical analysis of the TD-NMR signal reveals the changes occurring in molecular level in a material. Measurements can be done in a matter of a few seconds to obtain dynamic, quantitative characterization of materials. The entire measurement procedure can be done in a continuous fashion using automated robotic system. In this presentation, the basic principle of TD-NMR technology will be introduced. Various high throughput automated TD-NMR characterizations relevant to product characterization and process development for petrochemical and polymer industries will be elaborated including but not limited to: extent of polymerization, crosslink density, crystallization, copolymer ratio, polymer density, finish on fiber, hydration, hydrogen content in fuels, impurity quantification, drying kinetics, solid-liquid ratio, emulsion stability, droplet size distribution, porous media microstructure and transport. Probable new areas of in the same industry where this TD-NMR technology can be exploited in the future will also be discussed.