Xujin Intro Flashcards
What is and isn’t included in polymer processing?
Conversion of raw material into a finished part, including mixing and compounding
Can’t include polymerisation/chemical reactions
Which shear viscosity equations do we use for Newtonian and pseudo plastic?
Newtonian - normal model (shear stress/shear strain rate)
Pseudo plastic - power law model
What equation is used for elongational or tensile viscosity?
Troutonian model: lambda = tensile stress/tensile strain rate
What does viscoelastic mean?
Polymers are predominantly viscous (permanent deformation) but also are partially elastic (recoverable deformation)
What are Tg and Tm?
Tg is glass transition temp. - above this the polymer is elastic
Tm is melt temp. - above this the polymer is viscous/fluid flow
What are some process that use the melt state?
Extrusion, injection, blow, and rotational moulding
What are some examples of process that use heat softening rather than melting?
Vacuum forming, stretch blow moulding, film and fibres
What processes use thermosets?
Moulding - injection, transfer, compression, and reaction injection moulding
Lamination - glass, carbon fibres in liquid thermoset resins
Use as adhesives, surface coatings, and paints
Why are elastomers rubbery?
They are above Tg at ambient temp so in the elastic region.
What processes use elastomers?
Compounding - incorporating additives, mastication (intensive shear mixing process to reduce molecular weight)
Shaping - extrusion, injection, transfer, and compression moulding
What are the different types of polymerisation?
Addition (chain) polymerisation - opening a bond to increase the length of the chain
Condensation (step) polymerisation - reaction of two ends with the elimination of something like water (Alcohol + Acid = Polyester)
Polyaddition - reaction between two ends with no formation of volatiles
Ring-open
Living
What degree of polymerisation should most chains be to be useful?
At least 500 monomer units long
What are commercial polymer DoP’s?
10^3 - 10^5
What is the most important property of polymers?
High molecular weight - affects resistance to stress, fatigue, toughness, creep, flexural and shear modes, and cracking
What is Number Average Molecular Weight?
Mn = sum of Ni x Mi / sum of Ni
Mi = each molecular weight
Ni = number of molecules of that molecular weight present
So basically the average molecular weight (weighted by how many there are at each molecular weight)