Review of Polymers

ver. 1

ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems

Prof. J.S. Colton

Overview

What is a polymer?
Why are polymers good?
Types / examples
Crystallinity
Melting properties
Heat transfer
Fluids
Behavior during
processing
ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems
Prof. J.S. Colton

Just one word: plastic

The Graduate: 1967

ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems

Prof. J.S. Colton

Polymer production
107 billion pounds produced in US and
Canada in 2003
volume = 44 million m3

217 billion pounds of steel produced in

US in 2001
volume = 12.5 million m3

ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems

Prof. J.S. Colton

Polymers
poly = many
meros = units
long-chain hydrocarbons
1,000 - 10,000 units long
104 - 106 gm/gm-mole

ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems

Prof. J.S. Colton

Why are polymers good?

Light
Corrosion resistant
Strong
Easily formed into complex, 3D shapes
no further machining necessary

Good filters
water / gas - permeable / impermeable
reverse osmosis
oxygenators
ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems
Prof. J.S. Colton

Types of polymers
Thermoplastics
can be melted and solidified repeatedly

Thermosets
react to polymerize during forming
cross-linked networks
cant be remelted
decompose with too much heat

ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems

Prof. J.S. Colton

Types of polymers
Elastomers
large, recoverable, elastic deformations
soft
low glass transition temperatures
partially cross-linked networks
can be thermoset or thermoplastic

ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems

Prof. J.S. Colton

ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems

Prof. J.S. Colton

Bakelite
Leo Baekeland
18631944
first synthetic polymer
(1907)
made from phenol and
formaldehyde

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Polyethylene (PE)
trash bags, electrical
insulation
thermoplastic

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Polypropylene (PP)
margarine tubs, food
containers
thermoplastic

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Polystyrene (PS)
coffee cups
(styrofoam)
clear plastic boxes
thermoplastic

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Polyvinylchloride (PVC)
credit cards
pipes
thermoplastic

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Polycarbonate (PC)
Lexan
thermoplastic

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Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)
Lucite, plexiglas
thermoplastic

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Polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE)

Teflon
bearings
coatings
thermoplastic

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Polyester (PET)
bottles
carpets
thermoplastic

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Epoxy
adhesive
composite matrix
thermoset

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Rubber vulcanization (1844)

elastomer
thermoset
Charles Goodyear
1800-1860

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Vulcan
Roman god of fire
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Bonding
Leads to all mechanical properties
Primary
covalent (C-C, C-O, C-H, C-N)
along chain, interchain

Secondary
van der Waals
hydrogen
ionic
interchain
ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems
Prof. J.S. Colton

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Bonding
Thermoplastics
covalent along chain
secondary between chains
2D structure

Thermosets
covalent along and between
(cross link) chains
3D network

ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems

Prof. J.S. Colton

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Bonding
Elastomers
partially cross-linked
2.5 D network

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Crystallinity
Short range order (1,000s of )
Amorphous
PS, PC
bulky side groups prevent packing

Semi-crystalline
PE, PP
small or no side groups allow packing

ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems

Prof. J.S. Colton

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Crystallinity
Tightly packed
Rigid
Large secondary bonds
amorphous
region
crystal region

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Crystallinity
Spherulites (PP)

Platelets (PE)

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Effects of crystallinity
Increased stiffness
matrix reinforcement

Increased solvent resistance

large secondary bonds prevent solvent
molecules from entering

Crystallinity can go from 0 to 90+%

ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems

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Melting properties
glassy
rubbery
amorphous
mechanical
property
semi-crystalline
Tg

Tm

temperature
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Prof. J.S. Colton

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Transitions
o

Material

Tg ( C)

Tm ( C)

PE

-120

137

PVC

87

212

PP

-18, -10

176

PS

100

none

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Pressure Volume Temperature (pvT)

diagram

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Polycarbonate pvT diagram

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Viscoelastic Behavior
Fast loading or cold = acts like elastic
Slow loading or hot = acts like a viscous
fluid
Example: Silly Putty

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Old Glass Window

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Behavior
Polymers do not follow a linear stressstrain rate curve
non-Newtonian behavior
At high stress, appears to drop
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Power-law behavior shear thinning

1000000
100000

log

= (& )n

10000
1000
100
0.001

0.01

0.1

10

100

log(& )
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Elastic die swell

Extrudate can swell 2-3 times tube
diameter at high strain rate (~1/sec)

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Release of elastic energy

In tube, molecules are stretched out

On release, molecules re-coil to

minimum energy state

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1D Conduction Heat Transfer

y

T
T
= 2
t
x
2

2l

T = temperature
t = time
= thermal diffusivity

ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems

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Example 1-1
PC ( = 10-3 cm2/s)
(1/8) =
(0.15)2/10-3 = 22 s
(1/4) = (0.3)2/10-3
= 90 s

Al ( = 0.91 cm2/s)
(1/8) =
(0.15)2/0.91 = 0.02 s
(1/4) = (0.3)2/0.91
= 0.1 s

ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems

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Fluids
Polymers are very viscous
= 102 - 104 Pa-s
105 -104 x water
Vd
Re =

(
density ) (velocity) (diameter )
=
(viscosity )
ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems
Prof. J.S. Colton

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Example 2-1
PE melt at 200-300oC
= 5 x 105 g/cm-s
For creeping flow, Re = 1, 1 mm tube

(
1 gm/cm ) (velocity) (0.1 cm )
Re =
(5 x 10 g / cm s )
3

so v = 5 x 106 cm/s (quite fast)

Mach 150

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Example 2-2
Water at 200-300oC
= 2.5 x 10-2 g/cm-s
For creeping flow, Re = 1, 1 mm tube

(
1 gm/cm ) (velocity) (0.1 cm )
Re =
(2.5 x 10 g / cm s )
3

-2

so v = 0.25 cm/s (a bit slower)

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Prof. J.S. Colton

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Summary

Polymers
Properties
Heat transfer
Fluids
Behavior

ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems

Prof. J.S. Colton

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ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems

Prof. J.S. Colton

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