IVA: Intrinsic Viscosity Analyser, a Fully Automated Instrument for Determination of Viscosity in Polymeric Materials.

Analysing Intrinsic Viscosity of polymeric materials can sometimes require temperatures up to 200ºC for dissolution. This instrument, from Polymer Char, is a reliable and automated viscosity analyser that integrates into a reduced footprint, a robust dual-capillary relative viscometer combined with a high-temperature autosampler of demonstrated reliability.

The IVA proposes a precise and convenient approach to IV measurement as a result of the automation of all the analytical procedures, from filling of the vials to the reporting of the results. No solvent needs to be handled by the analyst at any time and no vapours are released to the atmosphere because the system is airtight at all times.

Unlike the glass capillaries used in Ubbelohde viscometers, IVA has a self-cleaning design based on dual capillary relative viscometer. The careful design of the heated compartment and transfer lines ensure that no cold spots are found, thus, a wide range of polymers, even the most crystalline ones, can be analysed with convenience and safety with this instrument.

When using IVA, dissolution temperature, shaking intensity, and time are accurately controlled so that the analyst can select the optimum conditions to achieve full dissolution while minimising thermal degradation. Besides, up to 42 samples can be analysed sequentially without user intervention.

As an option, the infrared detector IR4 can also be added to accurately quantify the injected polymer mass, ultimately upgrading the precision and accuracy of the viscosity results of polyolefins and other polymers with significant C-H content.