Use of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Determine the Composition of High-Density/Low-Density Polyethylene Blend Films

Abstract

The ability of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, combined with principal component regression (PCR), to nondestructively determine the blend ratio of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) in extruded films is demonstrated. Results indicate that the NIR spectrum in the region 2100 to 2500 nm can be used to determine the HDPE mass percentage of 60–80- μm-thick film samples to within 2.5%, over a range of 0 to 100%. NIR spectral effects from scattering are important for the determination of the HDPE % for HDPE contents above 50%, and spectral effects from changes in the methyl group concentration and perhaps the PE crystallinity are important for the determination of the HDPE % for HDPE contents below 50%. In addition, a large variation between the spectra of replicate samples, probably caused by variations in the degree or direction of molecular orientation in the samples, was observed.