This article addresses some established protocols in characterizing thermoplastics, whether they are homogeneous resins, alloyed or blended compositions, or highly modified thermoplastic composites. It begins with a description of various approaches used for the determination of molecular weight (MW) by viscosity measurements. This is followed by a discussion of the use of cone and plate and parallel plate geometries in determining the viscoelastic properties of a polymer melt. Details on some of the chromatographic techniques that allow determination of MW and MW distribution of polymers are then provided. The article concludes with information on three distinctive, but complementary operations of thermoanalytical techniques, namely differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and thermomechanical testing.

This article covers the thermal analysis and thermal properties of engineering plastics with respect to chemical composition, chain configuration, and/or conformation of the base polymers. The thermal analysis techniques covered are differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, thermomechanical analysis, and rheological analysis. The basic thermal properties covered include thermal conductivity, temperature resistance, thermal expansion, specific heat, and the determination of glass-transition temperatures. The article further describes various factors influencing the determination of service temperature of a material. Representative examples of different types of engineering thermoplastics are discussed in terms of structure and thermal properties. The article also discusses the thermal and related properties of thermoset resin systems.

This article reviews various analytical techniques most commonly used in plastic component failure analysis. The description of the techniques is intended to make the reader familiar with the general principles and benefits of the methodologies. The descriptions of the analytical techniques are supplemented by a series of case studies that include pertinent visual examination results and the corresponding images that aided in the characterization of the failures. The techniques covered include Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, thermomechanical analysis, and dynamic mechanical analysis. The article also discusses various analytical methods used to characterize the molecular weight distribution of a polymeric material. It provides information on a wide range of mechanical tests that are available to evaluate plastics and polymers, covering the various considerations in the selection and use of test methods.