(233e) Fast and Precise Quantification of Polymer and Petrochemical Products and Processes Using Automated Td-NMR Technology

The upstream and downstream processes in petrochemical and polymer industries involve application of various unit operations on raw materials. These processing steps induce multiple physico-chemical changes leading to the desirable properties in the final product. During the process development as well as the industrial-scale implementation of the same, monitoring of the effects of each processing step need to be fast, accurate and precise. TD-NMR (time domain nuclear magnetic resonance) is a technique which can be utilized to look into the products and physicochemical processes at a molecular level and precisely quantify them, using a small bench-top instrument. It obtains the signal from the atomic nucleus in a material. Mathematical analysis of the TD-NMR signal reveals the changes occurring in molecular level in a material. Measurements can be done in a matter of a few seconds to obtain dynamic, quantitative characterization of materials. The entire measurement procedure can be done in a continuous fashion using automated robotic system. In this presentation, the basic principle of TD-NMR technology will be introduced. Various high throughput automated TD-NMR characterizations relevant to product characterization and process development for petrochemical and polymer industries will be elaborated including but not limited to: extent of polymerization, crosslink density, crystallization, copolymer ratio, polymer density, finish on fiber, hydration, hydrogen content in fuels, impurity quantification, drying kinetics, solid-liquid ratio, emulsion stability, droplet size distribution, porous media microstructure and transport. Probable new areas of in the same industry where this TD-NMR technology can be exploited in the future will also be discussed.