FTIR Analysis Identifies a Polymer Material

03 February 2022

Case Study

Envista was retained to determine the cause of a fire, believed to be ignited by a polymer material.

Since the manufacturer of this material was not responsive, Envista was called in to identify the polymer and determine if the heat in the area could have been a cause of the fire.

The material was conclusively identified using a Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The material properties of the polymer were used to show that it would in fact ignite within the known timeframe and with the documented heat in the area.

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About The Author

Brad Davis, PE

Assistant Technical Director

Electrical

Mr. Brad Davis is a Professional Engineer with over 20 years of experience providing expert consultation to the insurance and legal communities in matters of equipment losses, equipment valuation, damage assessment, and causation analysis.

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