TUTORIAL PHY351 – MATERIALS SCIENCE

TUTORIAL 7: POLYMERS

JULY 2021
a) List three (3) types of thermoplastic polymer.

b) A stress of 7.6 MPa is applied to an elastomeric material at constant strain. After 40 days at 20 ⁰C,
the stress decreases to 4.8 MPa. Calculate the relaxation time of this elastomeric material.
(Ans: 87 days)

FEBRUARY 2021
a) Describe two (2) types of isomerism polymer with its general structure.

b) Calculate the degree of polymerization of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) polymer, C6F12 with a

molecular weight of 20,000 gmol-1.
Given: C = 12 gmol-1, F = 19 gmol-1 (Ans: 66.67)

JUNE 2020
a) State two (2) types of polymer additives with its roles.

b) A 1 g nylon 66 polymer is reinforced with 33 wt% glass fiber. Calculate the density of this
engineering polymer. Given the density of a nylon 66 polymer = 1.14 x 106 g/m3, and the density
of the reinforcing glass = 2.54 x 106 g/m3.
(Ans: 1.39 x 103 kgm-3)

DECEMBER 2019
a) With the aid of a diagram, illustrate two (2) types of polymer.

b) A stress 5.6 MPa is applied to an elastomeric material at constant strain. After 40 days at 20 °C,
the stress decreases to 2.8 MPa. Calculate the relaxation time of this elastomeric material.
(Ans: 57.71 days)

JUNE 2019
a) Explain thermoplastic polymer.
b) Determine the degree of polymerization of a polycarbonate polymer, C16H14O3 with a molecular
weight of 100,000 amu.
Given C = 12 amu; H = 1.008 amu; and O = 16.00 amu)
(Ans: 393.3)

DECEMBER 2018
Given the molecular formula for polyethylene is C2H4 where atomic mass for carbon is 12 g/mol and
hydrogen is 1 g/mol. Compute the degree of polymerization of a low density polyethylene with a
molecular weight of 20,000 g/mol and high density polyethylene with a molecular weight of 30,000
g/mol.
(Ans: LDPE = 714.286 mers/mol, HDPE = 1071.429 mers/mol)

PHY 351 – MATERIALS SCIENCE

Mazlini Binti Mazlan (mazlini4290@perak.uitm.edu.my)
 TUTORIAL PHY351 – MATERIALS SCIENCE

JUNE 2018
Distinguish between thermoplastic and thermoset with an example for each.

JANUARY 2018
Classify three types of polymer with its general structure.

MARCH 2017
Give five examples of polymeric materials.

OCTOBER 2016
Determine the degree of polymerization for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyvinyl acetate (PVA)
respectively, in a copolymer having a molecular weight of 9500 g/mol.
(The molecular weight of the PVC mer is 62.5 g/mol and that of the PVA mer is 86 g/mol)
(Ans: PVA = 110.5, PVC = 152)

MARCH 2016

a) Figure 3 shows accompanying structure P1 (dotted line) is poly (vinyl acetate) and P2 (solid
line) is polystyrene. Name the chemical of the structure (i), (ii), and (iii) and identified
structure has the ability to become thermosetting and thermoplastic polymer.

Figure 3
SEPTEMBER 2015
a) Define polymerization

b) Differentiate between thermoplastic and thermoset with an example for each.

c) Calculate the degree of polymerization of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), C6F12 which has a

molecular weight of 10,000 amu.
Molecular mass for carbon, C = 12 g/mol
Molecular mass for florin, F = 19 g/mol
(Ans: 33.3 mers/mol)

PHY 351 – MATERIALS SCIENCE

Mazlini Binti Mazlan (mazlini4290@perak.uitm.edu.my)
 TUTORIAL PHY351 – MATERIALS SCIENCE

MARCH 2015
a) Distinguish between thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers.

b) Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is a linear polyethylene that has unique
and desirable combination of properties. Give five (5) extraordinary characteristics of this
advanced polymeric material.

PHY 351 – MATERIALS SCIENCE

Mazlini Binti Mazlan (mazlini4290@perak.uitm.edu.my)