Polymer Processing

References Billmeyer* Ch. 17, 18 Elias** Ch. 14

*Textbook of Polymer Science 2nd Ed. Wiley-Interscience, New York (1962,1971) **An Introduction to Polymer Science VCH, New York (1997)

Legacy Lecture of Fall 2000

This lecture was contributed by the MS-I class of Fall 2000.
Left to Right Nhan Thai, Lee Madsen, Lu Ziqiang, Zu Yichuan, Nikhil Gupta Simon Mwongela, Andrea Dupre, Mariah McMasters, Vera Verdree, Angela Davis
Nadia Edwin, Thomas Morgan, Amy Morara, Xiaoming Liang

Missing: Justin Mecomber

Not just one polystyrene

Selected PS grades from BASF. VEF=very easy flow; HM=high molar mass; HR = heat resistant. Taken from Elias, Ch. 14. Processing engineers select grades using data such as these, perhaps relying on such numbers more than the molecular data such as M or Rg that chemists are used to.
Physical Property Viscosity Number Heat Distortion Temp B Heat Distortion Temp B Vicat Temp A Vicat Temp B Young's Modulus Creep Modulus Tensile strength Fracture elongation Impact strength Notched Impact Strength Test Condition ? 0.45 MPa Unit mL/g
o

Grade VEF 74 80

EF 96 82

HM 119 84

HR 96 98

HM-HR 119 98

1.8 MPa

70

72

76

86

86

10 N 50 N 1 mm/min 1000 h 5 mm/min 5 mm/min -30 to + 23 oC -30 to + 23 oC

Note how completely unmolecular! What molecular properties do you suppose correspond to EF, HR or HM?

C C

88 84 3150 ? 46 1.5 6 2

88 84 3200 2300 50 2 9 2

92 89 3150 2830 56 2 11 2

106 101 3200 2700 50 2 10 2

106 101 3250 2850 63 3 13 2

MPa MPa MPa % kJ/m2 kJ/m2

Back to the Beginning

Early in the course, we tried several ways to categorize polymers, such as condensation vs. addition, etc. From a processing point of view, the main classes are: Thermoplastic: the resin is heated to make a viscous liquid and then processed into a usable object without much additional chemistry. Example: polyethylene, polystyrene. Thermoset: upon heating, further reaction occurs to make molecules set up into a useful product. Chemistry occurs, so these are sometimes called reactive polymers. The resin may be provided as either small molecules or prepregspartially polymerized stuff. Example: polyurethanes, phenolformaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde, epoxy glue.

Compression Molding
Heat and Cooling Platen Mold Plunger Guide Pins

Heat and Cooling Compound to be molded

Mold Cavity
Platen

Hydraulic Pressure

Hydraulic Plunger

Redrawn by Nikhil Gupta and Yichuan Xu from Billmeyer Fig. 17-1

Injection Molding
Nozzle Feed hopper, contains polymer pellets

Hydraulic Pressure

Redrawn by Ziqiang Lu and Andrea Dupre from Billmeyer Fig. 17-2

Blow Moldinge.g. milk bottle

Plastic

Extruded ParisonMold Open

Mold Closed and Bottle Blown

Finished Bottle Removed from Mold

Redrawn by Thomas Morgan from Billmeyer Fig.17-3

Four-roll calender
Wad of plastic

To conditioning equipment

Based on Billmeyer Fig. 17-4 (references Winding 1961)

A Plastics Extrudere.g. tubing

Feed hopper
Heaters Cores for cooling water

Drive shaft

Die Screw

Redrawn from Billmeyer 17-5 by Xiaoming Liang

Fiber Drawing
Heater (Optional) Stretching Zone

Drive roll Control rolls Snubbing pin

2
(2 > 1)

1
Skewed idler roll

Drawn yarn to bobbin

Undrawn pretwisted yarn

Redrawn by Nadia Edwin from Billmeyer 18-5 (Riley 1956)

Polymer Chips/Beads

Melt Spinner

Melting Zone

Heating Grid
Pool

Metered Extrusion (controlled flow)

Pump Filter and Spinneret Air Diffuser

Extruded Fiber Cools and Solidifies Here Moisture Conditioning Steam Chamber Lubrication by oil disk and trough

Feed rolls

Packaging Yarn driver Bobbin

Redrawn by Lee Madsen From Billmeyer 18-4, citing Riley 1956

Bobbin drive

Dry Spinning
Filtered polymer solution

Feed

Dry Spinning of Fibers from a Solution

Metered extrusion

Pump

Filter and spinneret

Solidification by solv ent evaporation

Heated chamber

Feed roll and guide

Lubric ation

Air inlet

Yarn driv ing Balloon guide Packaging Ring and traveler Bobbin transverse Spindle

Wet Spinning (e.g. Kevlar)

Cotton

Dry Spun Acetate

Need tenacity vs. Elongation Plota Student Project like Billmeyer 18-1

Fiber properties for textile use

Chemical Stability to: Acid Base Bleach Solvents Heat Sunlight Aging Flammability Physical Mechanical Tenacity Elongation Stiffness Flex cycles Abrasion resistance Work recovery Tensile recovery Thermal Melting Point Softening Point Tg Tdecompose Biological Toxicological Dematological Resistance: Bacteria Molds Insects Fabric Qualities Appearance Drape Hand Luster (Kawabata machine can measure)

Permeability Can protect against biotoxins?

Comfort Warmth Water sorption Moisture retention Wicking Stability Shape Shrinkage Felting Pilling Crease resistance or retention

Ease of drying

Electrical Surface resistivity (static)

Sensors Can detect pathogens?

Wetability

Adapted from Billmeyer Table 18-1.