title: Pattern recognition for the analysis of polymeric materials.
abstract: A new method of polymer classification is described involving dynamic mechanical analysis of polymer properties as temperature is changed. The method is based on the chemometric analysis of the damping factor (tan delta) as a function of temperature. In this study four polymer groups, namely, polypropylene, low density polyethylene, polystyrene and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, each characterised by different grades, were studied. The aim is to distinguish polymer groups from each other. The polymers were studied over a temperature range of -50 degrees C until the minimum stiffness was reached, tan delta values were recorded approximately every 1.5 degrees . Principal components analysis was performed to visualise groupings and also for feature reduction prior to classification and clustering. Several clustering and classification methods were compared including k-means clustering, hierarchical cluster analysis, linear discriminant analysis, k-nearest neighbours, and class distances using both Euclidean and Mahalanobis measures. It is demonstrated that thermal analysis together with chemometrics provides excellent discrimination, representing a new approach for characterisation of polymers.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Chemometrics, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantocks Close, Bristol, UKBS8 1TS.
authors.forename: Bozena M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Lukasiak
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Faria
authors.forename: Simeone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zomer
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Brereton
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Duncan
mesh_terms: D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers