Water-sensitive fluorophores for moisture content evaluation in hygroscopic polymers

A process of utilizing a water-sensitive fluorophore for moisture content evaluation in a hygroscopic polymer, the process comprising:

• receiving, from a pellet manufacturing entity, pellets that are formed from a blend that includes a hygroscopic polymer resin and a water-sensitive fluorophore;
• receiving, from a pellet database, a calibration curve that correlates fluorescence properties of the pellets with moisture content of the pellets, wherein the fluorescence properties and the moisture content are determined in parallel;
• forming dried pellets by removing moisture from the pellets prior to forming an article of manufacture from the dried pellets;
• measuring fluorescence properties of the dried pellets;
• utilizing the calibration curve to determine a moisture content level of the dried pellets based on the measured fluorescence properties of the dried pellets;
• determining whether to form the article of manufacture from the dried pellets based on whether the moisture content level of the dried pellets corresponds to a satisfactory moisture level;
• performing an additional drying operation to remove additional moisture from the dried pellets when the moisture content level of the dried pellets corresponds to an unsatisfactory moisture level;
• and
• repeating the drying operation until moisture content level of the dried pellets corresponds to a satisfactory moisture level.

A process of utilizing a water-sensitive fluorophore for moisture content evaluation in a hygroscopic polymer, the process comprising:

• measuring fluorescence properties of an article of manufacture that is deployed to a deployment environment by, wherein the article of manufacture is manufactured from pellets that are formed from a blend that includes a hygroscopic polymer resin and a water-sensitive fluorophore, wherein a target area on the article of manufacture is used measuring the fluorescence properties;
• receiving a part-specific calibration curve that correlates fluorescence properties of the article of manufacture with moisture content of the article of manufacture from a part database;
• utilizing the part-specific calibration curve to determine a moisture content level of the article of manufacture based on the measured fluorescence properties of the article of manufacture;
• determining whether to perform a corrective action based on whether the moisture content level corresponds to a satisfactory moisture level;
• and
• replacing the article of manufacture based on the determination of the moisture content level corresponding to an unsatisfactory moisture level.