Methods for measuring degree of cure or soldification of a composition
AssigneeHenkel Corporation
InventorsEerik Maandi, Alan E. Litke
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to methods of measuring the degree of cure or solidification of a composition. Desirably, such methods are quantitative and ascertain the degree of cure or solidification in a non-destructive manner such that they are adaptable for on-line, real-time monitoring.
Claims20
A method of measuring the degree of cure of a polymerizable composition comprising:
- (i) mixing a wavelength-shift fluorophore with the polymerizable composition;
- (ii) permitting polymerization of the polymerizable composition;
- (ii) measuring fluorescence intensity at two emission wavelengths, one on each side of peak fluorescence intensity, of the wavelength-shift fluorophore and determining a ratio therefrom;
- and
- (iv) comparing the ratio to one or more reference value(s) that correlates the ratio to a known degree of polymerization of the polymerizable composition.
A method of measuring the degree of solidification of a thermoplastic composition comprising:
- (i) mixing a wavelength-shift fluorophore with the thermoplastic composition;
- (ii) permitting solidification of the thermoplastic composition;
- (ii) measuring fluorescence intensity at two emission wavelengths, one on each side of peak fluorescence intensity, of the wavelength-shift fluorophore and determining a ratio therefrom;
- and
- (iv) comparing the ratio to one or more reference value(s) that correlates the ratio to a known degree of solidification of the thermoplastic composition.
A system for non-destructively determining the degree of polymerization of a polymerizable composition or solidification of a thermoplastic composition comprising:
- (i) a detection apparatus configured to detect fluorescence intensity of a wavelength-shift fluorophore present in the polymerizable composition or thermoplastic composition wherein the wavelength-shift fluorophore is exited by an excitation source;
- (ii) an analyzer configured to determine a ratio of fluorescence intensity based on fluorescence intensity at two emission wavelengths, one on each side of peak fluorescence intensity, of the wavelength-shift fluorophore;
- and
- (iii) a correlating device configured to correlate the ratio with the degree of polymerization of the polymerizable composition or solidification of the thermoplastic composition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.