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Baling Petrochemical Develops Green Analytical Methods to Improve Efficiency and Reduce Costs. Author/Source: Sinochem News Network. Date: March 28, 2022. Clicks: 11. According to the company’s Production Management Department, Baling Petrochemical has adopted near-infrared technology for rapid determination of polypropylene melt index, reducing the time required for each sample analysis from 60 minutes to less than 3 minutes. Since its implementation over the past two years, this green environmental analysis method has generated direct economic benefits of over 400,000 yuan, and it won the second prize in Sinopec’s 2021 Excellent QC Achievements Competition. The melt index (the mass flow rate of the molten product) is a key parameter that must be measured for polypropylene products. Balin Petrochemical previously used the \"melt index method\" (GB/T 3862.1-2018) for this determination; the analysis process involved 6 steps, was rather complicated and time-consuming, and required the use of propylene oxide, a hazardous chemical that can be easily used to manufacture drugs. To improve the analysis methods and enable the rapid and accurate determination of the melt index of polypropylene, at the beginning of 2020, the technical team at the Rubber Analysis Station of Baling Petrochemical’s Analysis and Testing Center formed a QC team to address this challenge. They reviewed relevant literature and found 1 case related to the analysis of near-infrared and polypropylene. Inspired by this, the QC team conducted in-depth discussions and speculated that a near-infrared spectrometer could be used to collect spectral information of polypropylene, thereby establishing a mathematical model for the melt index to accurately determine the melt index of polypropylene. In May of that year, they determined the optimal approach for developing a rapid near-infrared method for measuring the melt index of polypropylene; subsequently, they implemented the strategies for using near-infrared technology to measure polypropylene melt index in a step-by-step manner, achieving satisfactory results. The use of near-infrared spectroscopy for the rapid and accurate determination of polypropylene melt index enables an accurate reflection of the operation status of the equipment as well as the quality of its products. This helps the operators to optimize process parameters in a timely manner, thereby increasing the production efficiency of the reaction vessels and ensuring stable product quality. At the same time, it significantly reduces the use of precursor chemicals as well as the generation of waste liquids and gases during analysis and testing processes, meeting the requirements of clean production and promoting occupational health and safety.