UATR and NIRA evaluation in the quantification of ATBC in NC blends

Abstract

The paint industry requires rapid and accurate methodologies of raw materials qualitiy controls. For example, the evaluation of the suitable ratio of binary mixtures of polymer/plasticizer such as nitrocellulose (NC)/acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC) must be done, since this ratio is directly related to the performance of the final product. However, there is a small number of quantitative methodologies of such control in the literature. In this context, in this paper, the applicability of Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques by using universal total attenuated reflection (UATR), in the middle infrared (MIR), and the reflectance analysis in the near infrared region (NIRA) is evaluated for the quantification of plasticizer ATBC in mixtures with NC. MIR and NIR methodologies presented good results such as: practicality of not requiring refined sample preparation, analysis time about 30 min and good accuracy, suitable data for using in the quality control laboratories of paint industry.