Process for determining carbon black concentration and distribution in rubber compounds and other carbon black containing materials and device to carry out the process.

摘要

A method & apparatus for determining carbon black in rubber composites (e.g. for tyres) based on time-resolved laser breakdown spectroscopy (TREUBS) are described. A laser beam (4a) is raster scanned across the sample surface (1a), and atomic or molecular emission from the laser excited plasma (4c) is collected from measuring points (4b), spectrally dispersed by grating (11) and detected using the photodiode array (12). To determine the carbon black distribution, spectral line intensity ratios relative to carbon acting as internal standard, for elements present in the sample are measured at two different delay times after the exciting laser pulse. At short delay times < 0.5 NS, carbon emission is due largely to carbon black; at longer delay times the signal represents total carbon present in the matrix. Comparison of the intensity ratios with calibration curves then yields the concentration of carbon black at the measuring point.