• Another transition temperature is reached when
the polymer is further cooled and the amorphous
regions change to a glass-like material - this is
termed the glass transition temperature, Tg.
• The degree of a polymer's crystallinity is an
important parameter in determining the
mechanical and thermal behavior of the polymer
and thus its end uses. For example, the highly
disordered polymers (dominantly amorphous)
show properties of an elastomer, while highly
crystalline polymers give the rigidity needed for
fibers.
Average Molecular Weight
• Unlike low molecular weight substance,
commercial polymers usually have molecular
weights over 5,000 and will contain
macromolecules with a range of molecular
weights. 2 averages are commonly used;
Number Average Molecular Weight and
Weight Average Molecular Weight
Number Average Molecular Weight
• This is defined as the average molecular
weight according to the number of molecules
present of each species. In other words, when
one multiplies the total number of molecules
of the polymer by M n, the product is equal to
the sum of the product of the number of each
species multiplied by its molecular weight.
Weight Average Molecular Weight
This is the sum of the product of the weight of each of the species
present and its molecular weight divided by the sum of the
weights of all the species.
Suppose we have six macromolecules:
Two of them have a molecular weight of 600;
Three of them have a molecular weight of 1000;
One of them has a molecular weight of 2000.
The weight average molecular weight is
calculated as:
8.5 Thermoplastics and
Engineering Plastics
Thermoplastics
Thermoplastics are organic long chain polymers
that usually become soft when heated and can
be moulded under pressure.
Examples: Polyethylene, Polypropylene
Engineering Resins
• These are polymers with special properties
such as high thermal stability, good chemical
and weather resistance, transparency, good
electrical properties, and other useful
characteristics
• Examples: polycarbonates, polyvinyl acetates,
polyethersulfones, polyacetals
8.6 Thermosetting Plastics or
Thermosets
• Thermosts are having a crosslinked network
structure and are infusible.
• They polymerize irreversibly under heat or
pressure to form hard, rigid masses. This is the
basic difference between thermoplastic polymers
and thermosetting polymers.
• thermosetting polymers cannot be remoulded.
• Examples: Phenol formaldehyde, urea
formaldehyde
8.7 SYNTHETIC FIBERS
• A polymer that is at least 100 times long as it is wide is
considered a fiber
• The most important synthetic fibers are polyesters,
polyamides (nylons), polyacrylates
• The most important properties of polymers to be used
for fiber production are:
1. High melting point, preferable above 100°C
2. Linear and symmetrical structure and high molecular
weight.
• The two major processes used for fiber production are
melt spinning and solution spinning.
8.8 SYNTHETIC RUBBERS
• the outstanding properties of high resilience
and strength.
• Synthetic rubber is produced commercially by
the polymerization of mono-olefins such as
isobutylene
• The produce is still used in the formulation of
styrene-butadiene, SBR, rubber, the synthetic
rubber with the largest consumption (about
60%).