Forensic Testing Services

POLYMER ANALYSIS

Polymers (plastics) are frequently encountered in forensic cases, including cases involving automobile damage or extruded polymers such as garbage bags. Plastics are typically complex morphological systems being composed of many phases and additives. The polymer itself is typically varied in molecular weight, tacticity, crystallinity, orientation and sometimes chemical composition.

Often multiple techniques are available to describe the same property of a material and it is only through the understanding of the physical basis of characterization techniques that one can utilize the best analytical technique to determine polymer structure, chemical composition, and properties.

Our scientists are experienced in polymer characterization and mechanical processing techniques such as film extrusion. We have the knowledge and analytical tools, such as an infrared spectroscopic imaging and polarized light microscopy, to offer comprehensive analysis of plastics and other polymer systems.