EXAM 2 Polymer Dr.

Willing
Dhruv Patel
#1.) We can measure elastic modulus, strain, fracture, yield stress for every type
of polymers in STS based on polymer motion. When stress is applied, the
polymer motion occurs in either brittle or ductile way, which is either not so
fast and fast, respectively. Another important change in polymer structure
can be caused by temperature. For long term testing of polymer creep test
(CT) is applied.
Creep test is a stress test in which stress is applied to material to examine
how it evolves around time. And to understand what is the strain response to
this long term testing applied at the coil spring, and rubber band. In step wise
manner, we apply stress, hold stress, and then take the stress back. Following
is the result

Viscous response, based on a fluid in cylinder (air); ideal viscous

response is linear.

Polymer response with increasing

temperature; visco-elastic response is
curving and
not straight
depends on
time window.

#2) DSC is used to determine amount of crystallinity in a polymer. Instrument is
designed to measure amount of heat absorbed or evolved from sample under
isothermal conditions. DSC contains two pans, one reference pan that is
empty and the other pan has polymer sample. Both polymer and the
reference pan are heated at same rate, the amount of extra heat absorbed by
polymer sample is with reference to reference material.

PLA is a semi crystalline thermoplastic polymer and the properties depend on

the type polymerization. And like the figure.1 shows has a crystallinity of
around 40%, a glass transition temperature between 60-65 oC, and a melting
temperature between 173-178oC.
#3.) In aqueous solution experiment it was found that the in the process the
aromatic compounds and organic nitriles in the resin wastewater were
degraded. Some surface degradation will occur from the suns exposure
because of UV rays. Mechanism is slow in rate already because of physical
properties of ABS, it can be slowed down even more if the concentration of
atmospheric molecules is increased around ABS.
#4.)

Above is example of polymer blend, polymer blends are important strategy but
watch out for phase segregation, higher MW gives less entropy of mixing, and that
is important to remember for polymer blending. Example for blending polymers are
polystyrene, poly (vinyl chloride), poly (vinylidene fluoride) etc. The above example
exhibits hydrocarbon polymer chain and poly (vinyl chloride).
When 2 or more polymers with at least 1 crosslinked in the presence of the other if
immiscible, phase segregation on the 10-100nm scale, locked in by cross-linking.
Sequential interpenetrating networks, 1st polymer swollen with second then
crosslinked. Interpenetrating networks applications in polymer science are
toughness, ion-exchange resin, adhesives, contact lensed drug release, membranes,
vibration damming. Both include series of polymers, the temperature capacity is
higher and both have increase number of physical properties.