Chemicals

Bettersize instruments are widely used in the study and production control of the particle size, particle shape and powder characteristics of chemicals.

In order to develop and optimize the production of chemical materials, a series of the physical properties of chemicals must be monitored, including particle size, particle shape and powder characteristics.

Polymers and plastics comprise about the largest sector of the chemical industry's output worldwide. The key products are polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene and polycarbonate. Measurement of particle size for these materials plays a very important role during their production and R&D.

The major markets for plastics are packaging, followed by home construction, containers, appliances, pipe, transportation, toys, and games.

● The largest-volume polymer product, polyethylene (PE), is used mainly in packaging films, milk bottles, containers, and pipes.
● Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), another large-volume product, is principally used to make piping for construction markets as well as siding, transportation and packaging materials.
● Polypropylene (PP), similar in volume to PVC, is used in markets ranging from packaging, appliances, and containers to clothing and carpeting.
● Polystyrene (PS), another large-volume plastic, is used principally for appliances, packaging and especially as a safety feature for in car protection to reduce the consequences of a crash.
● The leading man-made fibers include polyester, nylon, polypropylene, and acrylics, with applications including apparel, home furnishings, and other industrial and consumer use.

Other chemical products include:
● synthetic rubber, surfactants, dyes and pigments, turpentine, resins, carbon black, explosives, and rubber products.
● Inorganic chemicals include salt,  caustic soda, soda ash, acids (such as nitric acid, phosphoric acid, and sulfuric acid) and titanium dioxide.
● Fertilizers are the smallest category, including phosphates, ammonia, and potash chemicals.

Process equipment used to manufacture plastics includes injection molds, compression molds, extruders, and rotational molds. Common to all these processes is that a pellet or powder is used as the starting material. The characteristics of the feed material must meet certain criteria, such as melting point. In addition, chemical composition, flexural strength, compressive strength, impact resistance, density, chemical resistance, and tensile strength give the resulting article its characteristics. The particle size of the pellets contributes significantly to processibility of the polymer. Flowability from the hopper and melting rate when heated, has a direct effect on process speed. Particles (pellets) are generally produced in the range of 200 to 2,000 microns for transport and application.

In order to promote the development of the industry , better particle size measurement methods will be needed. So what kind of particle size analysis methods will be better? The Bettersize laser particle analyzer can assist in the development of chemicals in the following aspects:

● Measuring the particle size, particle shape, powder characteristics and other properties of materials
● Measuring benchmark products to ensure their performance and stability
● Controlling quality to ensure compliance with regulatory standards
● Developing suitable packaging materials