Xujin Intro Flashcards

1
Q

What is and isn’t included in polymer processing?

A

Conversion of raw material into a finished part, including mixing and compounding

Can’t include polymerisation/chemical reactions

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2
Q

Which shear viscosity equations do we use for Newtonian and pseudo plastic?

A

Newtonian - normal model (shear stress/shear strain rate)

Pseudo plastic - power law model

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3
Q

What equation is used for elongational or tensile viscosity?

A

Troutonian model: lambda = tensile stress/tensile strain rate

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4
Q

What does viscoelastic mean?

A

Polymers are predominantly viscous (permanent deformation) but also are partially elastic (recoverable deformation)

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5
Q

What are Tg and Tm?

A

Tg is glass transition temp. - above this the polymer is elastic

Tm is melt temp. - above this the polymer is viscous/fluid flow

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6
Q

What are some process that use the melt state?

A

Extrusion, injection, blow, and rotational moulding

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7
Q

What are some examples of process that use heat softening rather than melting?

A

Vacuum forming, stretch blow moulding, film and fibres

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8
Q

What processes use thermosets?

A

Moulding - injection, transfer, compression, and reaction injection moulding

Lamination - glass, carbon fibres in liquid thermoset resins

Use as adhesives, surface coatings, and paints

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9
Q

Why are elastomers rubbery?

A

They are above Tg at ambient temp so in the elastic region.

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10
Q

What processes use elastomers?

A

Compounding - incorporating additives, mastication (intensive shear mixing process to reduce molecular weight)

Shaping - extrusion, injection, transfer, and compression moulding

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11
Q

What are the different types of polymerisation?

A

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

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12
Q

What degree of polymerisation should most chains be to be useful?

A

At least 500 monomer units long

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13
Q

What are commercial polymer DoP’s?

A

10^3 - 10^5

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14
Q

What is the most important property of polymers?

A

High molecular weight - affects resistance to stress, fatigue, toughness, creep, flexural and shear modes, and cracking

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15
Q

What is Number Average Molecular Weight?

A

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)

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16
Q

What is Weight Average Molecular Weight?

A

Me = sum of Ni x Mi^2 / sum of Ni x Mi

17
Q

What is Molecular Weight Distribution of polymers?

A

Polymers have different molecular weights. The distribution of chain length is called molecular weight distribution (MWD)

18
Q

What is the polydispersity index (PDI)?

A

PDI is the breath of the molecular weight distribution (ratio of weight average molecular weight to number average molecular weight)

PDI = Mw/Mn

19
Q

How does polymerisation type affect MWD?

A

Monomers will be 1

Chain polymers are 1.05-3.5

Condensation polymers are 3-20

20
Q

What motion allows a polymer to be above its glass transition temperature?

A

Long range segmental motion

21
Q

What is free volume?

A

Space in a solid or liquid that’s not occupied by polymer molecules

22
Q

What happens to free volume as temp is reduced?

A

Free volume reduces until eventually there is not enough for molecular movement - this is Tg, where polymer glass is ‘frozen’

23
Q

How does perfect and imperfect crystallisation alter the volume as temp is increased?

A

In perfect, there is linear increase in volume with temperature until the melting point, when volume increases by a large mount

In imperfect, the volume will start to increase by a large amount before reaching the melting point.

24
Q

How does the modulus change with temp comparing crystalline and amorphous?

A

Crystalline stays a tough solid, then loses most rigidity at melt temp where it becomes a viscous flow

Amorphous lowers in modulus a lot at the Tg where it becomes rubbery then continues decreasing to a viscous flow after Tm

25
Q

What is responsible for viscous and elastic properties?

A

Viscous - diffusion of atoms inside a material (they will not go back when force is removed - energy dissipated)

Elastic - stretching of bonds between atoms (they will go back when force is removed - energy recovered)

26
Q

How does crystallinity effect the service temperature of polymers?

A

Amorphous - rubbery above Tg which limits its temperature range

Crystalline - Retains dimensional stability almost up to melting point so can be used at high service temps

27
Q

What are some noticeable difference in crystalline and amorphous polymers?

A

Crystalline - sharp melting point, usually opaque, high shrinkage, solvent resistant

Amorphous - broad softening range, usually transparent, low shrinkage, solvent sensitive

28
Q

What are some examples of crystalline and amorphous polymers?

A

Crystalline - PE, PTFE, PP, Nylon

Amorphous - PMMA, PS

29
Q

How does cross linking affect how a polymer acts at Tg and Tm?

A

More cross linking raises Tg and increases melt viscosity. Higher cross linking = higher modulus, more brittle

30
Q

What are some differences between thermoset and thermoplastics?

A

Thermosets - use rubbery phase for shaping, harden with cross lining by temp or catalyst, liquid goes irreversibly to solid, can withstand high T, no scrap recovery

Thermoplastics - use melt in shaping stage, harden by freezing melt, liquid-solid reversible, scrap recovery possible, can’t withstand high temps

31
Q

How does molecular weight affect relaxation of orientated molecules?

A

Higher molecular weight = takes longer for molecules to relax

32
Q

What does rapid cooling do to orientation?

A

Doesn’t allow enough time for complete relaxation of molecules so leaves frozen in stress in the part.

33
Q

How can you remove frozen in stress?

A

Heating above softening temperature - high shrinkage or distortion means more frozen in stress

34
Q

What are the types of copolymer?

A

Alternating - two monomer units alternating

Block - blocks of monomer units together

Random - random chunks of monomers

Graft - chain of same monomer with branches of a different monomer

35
Q

What is a blend?

A

Physical mixing of two or more different polymers - usually wont mix but compatibilisers can be used such as a block polymer of the two polymers we wanted to blend

36
Q

What is a compatibiliser?

A

A copolymer like a block one that can be used to help blend two types of polymer

37
Q

What’s the difference between copolymers and blends?

A

Copolymerisation is a chemical modification process where two monomers are joined to make a new, different polymer

Blending is combining two or more polymers to take advantage of the properties of each one