Benefits of Melt Flow Index Testing of Polymers

Benefits of Melt Flow Index Testing of Polymers

The melt flow index is an important index that helps in understanding various properties of plastics and polymers. As the plastic is one of the most widely used materials all across the country, it is important that the manufacturers understand the quality and properties of the materials they are using in their products to ensure that the quality of products delivered to the customers is top notch. The melt flow index tester is one such procedure that gives extensive information about the chemical as well as physical properties of plastic materials that are used in different industries.

Melt Flow Index Testing

The MFI testing is done according to ASTM D 1238 and ISO 1133. The instrument that is used for testing the MFI is called Melt Flow Index Tester. The polymer resin is put in cylinder in a molten state. It is then made to flow from a standard orifice with a diameter of 0.0825 in. The material is made to flow from the orifice for 10 minutes and then it is weighed to determine the melt flow rate. The MFR or MFI gives important information about the molecular weight of the polymer which is a great indicator of its chemical and physical properties. Typically, the MFI of a polymer resin is inversely proportional to its molecular weight which means that higher the molecular weight, lower will be the melt flow rate of the polymer.

Benefits of Melt Flow Index Testing

When it comes to the benefits of MFI testing, the first and foremost benefit is that it helps in studying the physical properties of the resin that are being used for making plastic. This is helpful for the manufacturers in deciding the correct manufacturing process especially for injection moulding industry. The in-house material needs to be checked before commencing the manufacturing process so that it could be ensured that there are not glitches in the quality of the product.

Extrusion process for polymers is extremely critical and it is important to establish the flow patterns and properties of the polymers to ensure that the extrusion is done correctly. The MFI testing helps in predicting the behaviour of a polymer during different manufacturing techniques so that right course of action could be taken. Also, it helps in making easy comparison between different batches to ensure consistency and quality of products. This helps in ensuring the best quality of products by choosing the right manufacturing technique for polymer and plastic products.