Carbon dioxide is frequently encountered in the oil, gas, and energy industries, where it can impact the performance and longevity of elastomers, plastics, and composites used in seals and critical components.
Testing with carbon dioxide at Alpine ranges from rapid gas decompression and permeation testing to aging tests at a variety of temperatures and pressures. These tests help determine how materials swell, degrade, or lose mechanical properties under CO₂ exposure, ensuring materials remain reliable in environments where high partial pressures of CO₂ are present. Alpine can test up to 40,000 psi and under temperatures from cryogenic to 400°C.
High-pressure CO₂ can permeate into materials, and rapid decompression can lead to internal damage or blistering, making RGD testing critical for seals in CO₂ service. Aging tests with CO₂ evaluate how materials change over time in both supercritical and gaseous states, capturing effects on tensile strength, compression set, hardness, and dimensional stability.
As carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies continue to grow globally, the ability to safely capture CO₂ from industrial sources and inject it underground or repurpose it for enhanced oil recovery and chemical feedstocks is becoming essential for reducing emissions and supporting energy transition goals. These systems require seals, gaskets, and nonmetal components that can withstand high CO₂ pressures, supercritical conditions, and rapid decompression events. Alpine Polytech supports CCUS development by providing advanced CO₂ testing for elastomers, plastics, and composites, ensuring your materials meet the demands of these critical and emerging applications with confidence.