What does a material assessment in a laboratory involve?
A material assessment is an essential process in materials science, chemistry, physics, and various industries. It involves analyzing and understanding the properties and behavior of materials. This characterization can cover a wide range of materials, from metals and polymers to ceramics and biomaterials.
It is essential for the development and optimization of new materials, for quality control in production, and for fundamental research in materials science. It enables scientists and engineers to gain an in-depth understanding of materials, predict their behavior under different conditions, and design products tailored to specific applications.
Presentation of two client cases
Two manufacturers from different sectors recently contacted the laboratory for the following reasons:
- Client 1: Identification of material on a round joint
- Client 2: Study to carry out a material assessment of steel piping to evaluate its state of deterioration
Why conduct a material assessment?
A material assessment is crucial for optimizing production processes, improving profitability, ensuring regulatory compliance, promoting responsible environmental management, guaranteeing product quality, and stimulating innovation. This tool enables companies to better understand and control the use of their resources, thereby reducing waste and increasing overall efficiency.
Client 1: Identification of material on a round joint
Context
The client contacted the FILAB laboratory because they needed to characterize the material used in a seal. They wanted to confirm that their seal was made of NBR (also known as nitrile rubber).
What characterization analysis techniques did the laboratory decide to use to verify the material of the seal in this assessment?
Structural analysis by pyrolysis GC-MS
The sample was placed in a quartz tube, then inserted into the pyrolyzer chamber and heated according to the program below:
- This instantly causes the fragmentation of certain macromolecules (polymers) and the simple volatilization of organic molecules (additives, solvents, residual monomers, pollution, etc.) present in the sample.
- All these pyrolytic fragments and volatilized molecules are separated by the chromatographic column and then identified by the MS (mass spectrometry) detector.
- The recognition of pyrolytic "tracer" fragments and comparison with those obtained with known matrices allows the certain identification of the polymer matrix(es) in the sample.
In this case, it was used to search for peak profiles in order to identify the constituent matrices of a sample.
The results obtained ...
FILAB's in-depth analysis made it possible to determine with certainty that the seal analyzed was indeed an NBR seal. This information was essential to understanding the behavior of the seal in its context of use.
Client 2: Steel piping material balance
Context
In this case, the objective of this study is to perform a material assessment on sections of steel piping in order to evaluate their state of deterioration.
Analysis performed
In order to carry out this study, the following techniques were used:
- Binocular magnifying glass for macroscopic observations;
- Field emission scanning electron microscopy coupled with an EDX microprobe (SEM-EDX) for observations and semi-quantitative local chemical analysis;
- Optical microscopy to perform observations before and after chemical development.
For each sample, an interpretation is made of the external, internal, and core areas. The following observations were made:
The results obtained ...
- For sample 1: externally, the uncoated areas appear to be more affected. Internally, corrosion is widespread. No corrosion is observed at the core. No corrosion is observed at the core
- For sample 2: externally, the uncoated areas appear to be more affected. Internally, there is widespread corrosion with areas potentially more affected by erosion. No corrosion is observed at the core. No corrosion is observed at the core
- For sample 3: externally, the uncoated areas appear to be more affected. Internally, corrosion is widespread. No corrosion is observed at the core
FILAB's in-depth analysis made it possible in this situation to establish a detailed assessment of the progress of corrosion in the pipe.
Conclusion of the study
Material analysis can be carried out in several contexts and on various materials for various applications. Here, FILAB's approaches made it possible to confirm the material for customer 1 and carry out a condition assessment of a pipe for customer 2.
Other case studies you may be interested in
Optimization of the coating of a can
One of our clients wants expertise and optimization of the coating used on the cans it uses to market its beverages. Learn more +ATG kinetics: simulation of PVC part aging
One of our customers wants to evaluate the thermal behavior of 3D-printed parts. Learn more +Piston failure
A piston is a crucial mechanical component in many mechanical devices and engineering systems. Pistons enable various applications, including: Learn more +Services related to the case study
Laboratory specializing in analysis and expertise for industrial companies
Contact us
Our services are reserved for professionals.
Frequently asked questions
What is a material balance in the studies presented by FILAB?
In this article, the term material balance refers to the characterization of the material or its state of degradation. FILAB addresses two distinct needs: confirming the polymeric nature of a gasket and examining corrosion in steel piping. The analysis are selected according to the industrial question and do not refer here to an assessment of the input and output flows of a process.
How can it be verified that a seal is made of NBR rubber?
Pyrolysis GC-MS can be used to detect characteristic fragments of a seal’s polymer matrix. The sample is heated, then the resulting products are separated by chromatography and identified by mass spectrometry. In the study presented, comparison of the profile obtained with known matrices confirmed the presence of NBR.
Which techniques can be used to assess corrosion in a steel pipe?
FILAB combined binocular microscopy, SEM-EDX, and optical microscopy on prepared cross-sections. These techniques make it possible to examine the appearance of the surfaces, the local composition of altered areas, and the condition of the microstructure. In this study, observations covered the external and internal surfaces, as well as the core of the pipe sections.
Why examine both the surfaces and the core of a pipe?
Examining several areas makes it possible to locate the degradation and assess how it is distributed throughout the sample. In the sections studied, corrosion was visible on the inner surface and in certain external areas, while no corrosion was observed in the core of the examined cross-sections. This distinction helps establish a more accurate assessment of the material condition.
How does a material balance help inform an industrial decision?
A material balance provides data to confirm a material, investigate a non-conformity or guide maintenance activities. In the two cases presented, FILAB confirmed that a seal was made of NBR and described the progression of corrosion in pipes. Decisions then depend on the specifications, operating conditions and representativeness of the samples.