applications

Polymers

Polymer Analysis: From Material Understanding to Application Performance

Polymers are at the heart of modern innovation – from lightweight automotive components and advanced electronics to additive manufacturing and sustainable materials.

Understanding how these materials behave is essential to ensure performance, quality, and long-term reliability. With NETZSCH thermal analysis, rheology and firetesting, you gain precise insights into material behavior.

Whether you work with thermoplastics, elastomers, composites, or recyclates, our solutions help you make confident, data-driven decisions across the entire lifecycle of your materials.

Brochure "Thermal Characterization of Polymers"

Thermal Analysis, Rheology and Fire Testing in the Plastics Industry

Polymers are processed by heating, shaping, and cooling – making it essential to understand both their temperature-dependent behavior and flow properties.

Additives and fillers are used to tailor performance, while real-life conditions, including thermal loads and fire exposure, require reliable material characterization to ensure quality and safety.

NETZSCH Analyzing & Testing combines Thermal Analysis, Rheology, and Fire Testing to provide comprehensive insights – from DSC, TGA, and rheometers to fire testing solutions like the LOI 901 and TCC 918 Cone Calorimeter.

Whether for product development, process optimization, quality assurance, or safety evaluation, our technologies support you across the entire lifecycle of your polymers.

Please accept Marketing Cookies to see that Video.

Explore by Application

Discover how polymer analysis supports real-world challenges across industries.

Products for Polymer Applications

Please find here a selection of NETZSCH instruments for polymer analysis, representing just a part of our comprehensive portfolio of solutions.

Explore by Material

Explore polymer classes and discover the right analytical methods, properties, and applications for your materials.

Commodity Thermoplastics

Blue and clear polymer pellets interspersed with flowing translucent polymer strands highlighting plastic material analysis and processing.

Analyze high-volume materials such as PE, PP, PVC, and PS to ensure quality, consistency, and process stability.

Engineering
Plastics

Various polymer pellets, sheets, and 3D-printed parts showcasing thermoplastic and composite materials for advanced polymer analysis.

Analyze high-volume materials such as PE, PP, PVC, and PS to ensure quality, consistency, and process stability.

High-Performance Polymers

Plastic polymer pellets and molded components with thermal analysis graphs for polymer material testing and quality control.

Investigate Curing (Crosslinking Reactions)Literally translated, the term “crosslinking“ means “cross networking”. In the chemical context, it is used for reactions in which molecules are linked together by introducing covalent bonds and forming three-dimensional networks.curing behavior, crosslinking, and Thermal StabilityA material is thermally stable if it does not decompose under the influence of temperature. One way to determine the thermal stability of a substance is to use a TGA (thermogravimetric analyzer). thermal stability of epoxy resins, polyurethanes, and other thermosetting systems.

Thermosets

Gloved hand holding a capsule near a test tube with a pipette dripping liquid, illustrating polymer testing.

Elastomers &
Rubber

Rubber and polymer automotive parts displayed with thermal analysis graph showing glass transition temperature in Celsius.

Evaluate viscoelastic behavior, Curing (Crosslinking Reactions)Literally translated, the term “crosslinking“ means “cross networking”. In the chemical context, it is used for reactions in which molecules are linked together by introducing covalent bonds and forming three-dimensional networks.curing, and performance of rubber materials under real application conditions.

Thermoplastic Elastomers

Rubber tire, polymer samples, and flexible parts illustrate polymer thermal analysis with a glass transition temperature chart.

Combine insights into both elastic and thermoplastic behavior for flexible, high-performance materials.

Composites & Filled Polymers

Carbon fiber composite materials and polymer pellets displayed with a graph showing filler content versus storage modulus for advanced polymer analysis.

Analyze fiber-reinforced and filled systems to understand mechanical performance, filler content, and thermal behavior.

Polymer Blends & Recyclates

Polymer blend and recyclate pellets in various colors with charts and icons highlighting identification, analysis, and improvement processes.

Identify composition, detect contamination, and improve quality in complex multi-material systems and recycling streams.

Thermal Properties of Polymers at a Glance

Get access to a comprehensive database on different polymer types and their thermal properties based on real thermal analysis measurements.

Learn more

A variety of plant-based ingredients, including beans, lentils, and greens, highlighting sustainable food sources for meat alternatives.

NETZSCH for Educators

Introductory course slides for thermal analysis and rheology on plastics

We have created an extensive set of introductory course slide decks that can be used by professors and other educators involved in teaching polymer classes. This service is free of charge.

Get the Slide Deck