SAXS/WAXS imaging of process induced through thickness layered polymer structures manufactured with
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | CHALMERS TEKNISKA HÖGSKOLA AKTIEBOLAG - Department of Physics |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 497 000 |
| Project duration | August 2019 - December 2020 |
| Status | Completed |
| Venture | Research infrastructure - utilisation and collaboration |
| Call | Industrial pilot projects for utilisation of neutron- and photon based techniques at large scale infrastructures - spring 2019 |
| End-of-project report | 2019-02563_TetraPak.pdf (pdf, 550 kB) |
Important results from the project
The goal of this project is to develop an experimental methodology approachable to industry utilizing a SAXS/WAXS scanning technique for process-induced morphology of injection-moulded polymer components. This technique is suitable to identify layers, quantification of their individual thicknesses, and the corresponding polymer microstructures present through the thickness in the part. These studies are not possible with standard laboratory X-ray equipment, due to the too large X-ray beam size and long exposure time but require measurements in a synchrotron.
Expected long term effects
Successful measurements at the beamtime were achieved. Data post-processing for the characterisation of polymer materials produced with different process settings were performed. Moreover, the creation of an easy-to-use workflow has been continuously refined, to facilitate simple and efficient data handling and result evaluation by Tetra Pak independently in the future. This characterization technique is critical towards optimizing material and process settings for novel package functionality in any polymer material in an environmentally sustainable future.
Approach and implementation
Due to its outstanding workflow for the scanning of SAXS/WAXS we used the cSAXS beamline X12SA at Swiss Light Source (SLS) at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Switzerland. The focused beam has a spot size of 0.025 mm, which is sufficiently small to resolve our thinnest layers. Due to the pandemic of Covid-19, the scheduled beam time was changed to a remote setting that was run from Chalmers with the support of beamline scientist being fundamental.