PPE 108 Fundamentals of Polymer Engineering
Study Questions-IV
1. Glass transition temperatures have been observed to increase at pressures of several thousand psi. Why?
2. Poly(α-methyl styrene) has a higher Tg than PS. Why?
3. The addition of a small molecular weight chemical known as an external plasticizer softens a polymer by
reducing its glass transition temperature. Explain.
4. Discuss how the crystalline melting point varies with n in the “nylon n” series, where n can be varied.
5. Experiments show that uniaxial orientation (drawing) increases the crystalline melting point. Explain.
6. Consider the following classes of linear, aliphatic polymers:
For given values of n and x, the crystalline melting points increase from left to right, as indicated. Explain.
7. Liquid-crystalline polyesters have significantly higher Tm values than non-LC polyesters. For example, Xydar
has a Tm value in the vicinity of 400 oC, whereas poly(ethylene terephthalate), has a Tm of 267 oC and poly
(butylene terephthalate), has a Tm of 224 oC. Explain.
8. Injection molding consists of squirting a molten polymer into a cold metal mold. When thick parts are molded
from a crystallizable polymer (e.g., polypropylene), they sometimes exhibit “sink marks,” where the surface
of the part has actually sunk away from the mold wall.
(a) Explain why. Hint: Polymers have very low thermal diffusivity.
(b) How would an amorphous (non-crystallizable) polymer perform in injection molding?
1|Page
PPE 108 Fundamentals of Polymer Engineering
9. Two diols, ethylene glycol and bisphenol-A, are commercially available at low cost. Which would you choose
for Polyesterification with a diacid if your objective was to:
(a) produce a transparent polyester and
(b) obtain the higher Tg.
10. A patent claims that a new polymer forms strong, highly crystalline parts when injection molded.
Furthermore, it is claimed that Tg > Tm for this material. Comment.
11. An amorphous emulsion copolymer consisting of 60 wt% methyl methacrylate (homopolymer Tg=105 oC) and
40 wt% ethyl acrylate (homopolymer Tg=23 oC) has been proposed as the basis of a latex paint formulation. A
latex consists of tiny (~1-10 µm) polymer particles suspended in water. After application of the paint, these
particles must coalesce to form a film upon evaporation of water.
(a) Would the copolymer be suitable for an outdoor paint?
(b) An actual paint formulation based on this copolymer contains some medium volatility solvent dissolved in
the latex particles. This solvent is designed to evaporate over a period of a few hours after application of the
paint. What is it doing there?
12. Which of the following polymers would be suitable for the fabrication of cups to contain hot coffee:
polyethylene, polypropylene, poly(vinyl chloride), PET polyester, and polycarbonate. Why?
13. Which polymer(s) would be best suited for use as ice cube trays? Why?
14. For each of the following pairs of polymers, plot and label schematic specific volume-versus temperature
curves on the same graph [i.e., make separate plots for parts (a) to (c)].
(a) Linear polyethylene with a weight-average molecular weight of 75,000 g/mol; branched polyethylene with
a weight-average molecular weight of 50,000 g/mol
(b) Spherulitic poly(vinyl chloride) of 50% crystallinity and having a degree of polymerization of 5000;
spherulitic polypropylene of 50% crystallinity and degree of polymerization of 10,000
(c) Totally amorphous polystyrene having a degree of polymerization of 7000; totally amorphous
polypropylene having a degree of polymerization of 7000
2|Page
PPE 108 Fundamentals of Polymer Engineering
15. For each of the following pairs of polymers do the following:
(1) State whether it is possible to determine whether one polymer has a higher melting temperature than the
other;
(2) if it is possible, note which has the higher melting temperature and then cite reason(s) for your choice;
and
(3) if it is not possible to decide, then state why.
(a) Branched polyethylene having a number average molecular weight of 850,000 g/mol; linear polyethylene
having a number-average molecular weight of 850,000 g/mol
(b) Polytetrafluoroethylene having a density of 2.14 g/cm3 and a weight-average molecular weight of 600,000
g/mol; PTFE having a density of 2.20 g/cm3 and a weight-average molecular weight of 600,000 g/mol
(c) Linear and syndiotactic poly(vinyl chloride) having a number-average molecular weight of 500,000 g/mol;
linear polyethylene having a number average molecular weight of 225,000 g/mol
(d) Linear and syndiotactic polypropylene having a weight-average molecular weight of 500,000 g/mol; linear
and atactic polypropylene having a weight-average molecular weight of 750,000 g/mol
3|Page