Automated External Filtration System for Carbon Black and Other Additives of Small Particle Size in Polyolefins

Filtration is required in many cases before injection, when using light scattering detectors, but also to extend the life of fragile GPC columns. Polymer Char, with the most complete range of instruments for Polyolefin Characterisation, has introduced this year a series of accessories to facilitate this task in the polyolefin characterisation laboratories; the EFS is an automated, fast and innovative apparatus for eliminating carbon black, rest of catalysts or other additives of small particle size that may be present in polyolefin samples.

The process is fast, easy and safe for the user as there is no solvent handling nor manual vial transfer. Once the sample is dissolved, the user pierces the vial on the system and starts the EFS operation. Then, the solution is automatically transferred to an empty vial while passing through a disposable filtration cartridge. Around 2 minutes later, the sample is clean and ready to be injected into the GPC instrument.

Thanks to its smart design, the solution travels through those disposable cartridges only, so no-cross contamination may occur nor any vapours are released to the ambient as solvent circulates through a closed circuit only, unlike the manual and traditional way using glass fiber filters, or the available semi-automated equipment from other providers. After each filtration process, another one can be started right away, minimising the user dedication to the filtration tasks, which are usually tedious and require a significant manpower within the daily tasks of all the laboratories.

EFS means a breakthrough in external filtration, being the only automated system in the market capable of eliminating the carbon black completely in an effective, fast and safe process.