Material testing, off-gassing analysis and verification
Material off-gassing is the process of releasing gaseous species previously contained in a non-gaseous material into an atmosphere. At our specialized facilities, we offer off-gas testing of simple materials and larger components in various atmospheres. We are accreditated for parts of the methods/analyses.
Direct off-gas testing
In direct off-gas testing, a small piece of the sample is placed directly into a thermal desorption tube. The tube is then slightly heated before the analytes present in the tube atmosphere is separated by gas chromatography and identified by mass spectrometry. This is a fast method to evaluate the off-gassing potential of simple materials such as fabric, plastic, paint and more.
Available analyses from direct off-gas testing include:
- Volatile organic compounds (VOC)
Chamber off-gas testing
Larger components consisting of multiple materials may also have to be off-gas tested. Components are off-gas tested before being introduced into a closed environment where people are present. Hyperbaric chambers used in saturation diving is an example of such an environment.
Our facilities are set up for off-gas testing in a hyperbaric chamber where pressure, temperature, humidity and gas composition can be controlled and monitored. Available analyses from chamber off-gas testing include:
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
- Carbon monoxide (CO)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2)
- Oxygen (O2)
- Hydrogen (H2)
- Nitrogen (N2)
- Argon (Ar)
- Oil (C11+)
- Methane (CH4)
- Water vapor
Read more about our accredited methods/analyses here
Umbilical off-gas testing
Breathing umbilicals for diving shall be off-gas tested to ensure diver safety. At NUI, we are equipped to perform off-gas testing from all types of umbilicals.