WOLL

EGA SCHOOL OF GRADUATES STUDIES

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

UNIVE DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

M.Sc. in Manufacturing Engineering

RSITY Advanced Materials and Processing

Assignment 03

Submitted To: DESALEGN WAGASO (PHD)

Assistant Professor at Addis Ababa University

Submitted By: ALEMU MERGA (1400082) M.Sc. Student at WU

March 2022
1. Write the primary reasons why industries go for polymeric materials.
Solution:
With the countless technological advances, the polymeric industry has become increasingly
important in maintaining the contemporary lifestyle. There are innumerable uses of polymers in
industry. This is because of their sheer versatility and the abroad range of favorable
characteristics that can be achieved through polymerization.

 This happens for the reason that these materials enable the development of products with
innovative chemical characteristics, such as polyvinyl acetate (PVA), used in coatings.
 It can also contribute positively in the production of nylon, being an example
of polymers in clothing and fibers, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), used in the pipes.
 Their versatility and range of favorable characteristics make them a firm favorite amongst
manufacturers of all shapes and sizes.
 Major industrial polymers, chemical compounds used in the manufacture of synthetic
industrial materials. In the commercial production of plastics, elastomers, man-made
fibres, adhesives, and surface coatings, a tremendous variety of polymers are used.
 Polymers have gone from being cheap substitutes for natural products to providing
high-quality options for a wide variety of applications.
 No matter what the application requirement, there is a polymer suitable for that job.
 Major industrial polymers, chemical compounds used in the manufacture of synthetic
industrial materials. In the commercial production of plastics, elastomers, man-made
fibres, adhesives, and surface coatings, a tremendous variety of polymers are used. There
are many ways to classify these compounds.
2. Note the prime reasons why thermoset plastic materials have harder and brittle than
thermoplastic materials.
Answer

Thermoset plastics are harder than thermoplastics due to the following reasons;

 The three-dimensional network of bonds, or crosslinks, that are created during the
manufacturing process.
 o Because they maintain their shape as strong covalent bonds between polymer
chains, thermosets are more suited to high temperature applications too as they
do not soften when heated due to strong covalent crosslinks.
o They do not soften when heated due to strong covalent crosslinks.
 Higher crosslink density also improves the mechanical strength and hardness of
these materials, although this can lead to brittleness.
 Aromatic content of a thermoset polymer, the higher the resistance to heat degradation
and chemical attack. Mechanical strength and hardness also improve with this aromatic
content and crosslink density, although at the expense of brittleness. They normally
decompose before melting.

3. Cite the desirable features of thermoplastic materials.

Answer

The desirable features of the thermoplastic materials that make them utilized in industrials
applications are mentioned below:

Thermoplastics are valued for their recyclability, as products created from them can be
re-melted and formed into different shapes via the injection molding process.
The parts made from thermoplastics allowed to be recycled and reformed after suffering
damage, wear and tear.
They can produce parts that are flexible, accurate and have aesthetically pleasing surface
finishes.
User-friendly safe processing and they can be melted, shaped and cooled into a
dimensionally stable part in a matter of seconds.
Environmental friendly: as they can be reprocessed and reused no thermoplastic
materials thrown away over environment, hence they cannot pollute our environment.
Thermoplastics generally provide high strength, flexibility and are resistant to
shrinkage. Its strengths include: Chemical resistance in most circumstances, .Elasticity,
and Electrical insulation properties .Fatigue resistance. Low density .Low friction.
Toughness and Transmissivity.
 Their wide range of applications. Thermoplastics are high strength, lightweight
materials and have relatively low processing costs.
Additionally, thermoplastic components are relatively easy to manufacture with high
volume and precision.
High mechanical property: Good comprehensive property, High strength, stiffness,
impact resistance, fatigue resistance, good creep performance. Good wear resistance, low
water absorption, good dimensional stability, but poor thermal stability, easy to burn,
long-term exposure in the atmosphere aging.
Cost-effective: Their pliability ability to be melted down and reformed multiple
times allows for plenty of reprocessing and recycling. This in turn cuts down on the
demand for new raw material, making them economical to manufacture, and cost-
effective for customers.
Excellent aesthetics finishes: Aesthetically, thermoplastics are seen as superior to
thermoset polymers.

4. Explain the main differences between addition and condensation polymerization techniques.
Answer

Polymerization is a process or phenomenon in which a large number of small molecules are

combined to form a big or macromolecule. These small molecules are known as building blocks
and called monomers. On the basis of different reactions, Polymerization is divided into two
major types’ i.e. Addition polymerization and Condensation Polymerization.

A) Addition polymerization
Addition Polymerization involves only one kind of monomer and does not lead to a loss in
smaller molecules e.g. PVC and Teflon.
It’s all about the repeated addition of monomers having double or triple bonds of polymers.
In this type of polymerization, no molecule is eliminated, and often one monomer takes part
in it.
Figure, Addition polymerization techniques.

B) Condensation polymerization

Condensation Polymerization involves two different kinds of monomers and lead to loss of
simple molecules like HCl etc. for example nylon, bakelite.
It’s the repeated process of condensation reactions of two different bi-functional or tri-
functional monomers.
In this process, a large number of molecules take part and many monomers are combined to
form large molecules.
Many of the small molecules are eliminated such as ammonia and water etc. these monomers
contain two functional groups.
Figure, Condensation polymerization technique.
In general the basic difference between addition and condensation polymerization is explained
briefly below in tabular form.
Addition Polymerization Condensation Polymerization
Monomers having either a double bond or Monomers having two similar or different
triple bond. functional groups.
They do not produce any by-products. They produce different By-products. Produce
Produce thermoplastic materials. thermosetting materials.
Very fast reaction. It is a very slow reaction, takes hours.
All polymers are resulted by the Addition of Also, polymers are resulted by Condensation
monomers. of monomers
Produces polymers that are non-biodegradable Produce polymers are biodegradable and non-
and easy to recycle. recycled.
The molecular weight of the resultant polymers The molecular weight of the resultant polymer
is a multiple of the monomer’s molecular is not a multiple of the monomer’s molecular
weight weight.
Lewis acids or bases, radical initiators are used in condensation polymerization, Lewis acids or
as catalysts. bases, also used as catalysts
Examples of addition polymerization: PVC, Examples of condensation polymerization:
Teflon, polyethylene, etc. nylon, silicon, Bakelite, etc.

5. Compare and contrast mechanical properties of plastics, metals and ceramics.

Answer
1. Metals; All metals are characterized by metallic properties, e.g. luster, opacity,
malleability, ductility and electrical conductivity. Moreover, metals are quite strong,
yet deformable, which accounts for their extensive use in structural applications.
Metallic materials are always crystalline in nature.
Metals and its alloys contain atoms that are arranged in orderly manner. It makes them
dense and eventually fabricate a very stiff and strong, resistant to fracture yet ductile
materials.
2. Ceramics: Ceramics are characterized by high hardness, abrasion resistance,
brittleness and chemical inertness. Ceramics are typically insulative to the passage of
electricity and heat, and are more resistant to high temperatures and harsh
environments than metals and polymers. With regard to mechanical property, these
materials are hard but very brittle.
The atoms in Ceramics materials are held by both covalent and ionic primary bonds
which is stronger than any other bonds. Therefore, ceramics are the most brittle
materials among all.
3. Polymers i.e. plastics are organic substances and derivatives of carbon and hydrogen.
Polymers include the familiar plastic and rubber materials. Polymers have very large
molecular structures. Most plastic polymers are light in weight and are soft in
comparison to metals. Polymer materials have typically low densities and may be
extremely flexible and widely used as insulators, both thermal and electrical. They are
low in densities, ductile, and pliable yet less stiff and strong.

 Moving on some of their mechanical properties and making comparison;

1. Elasticity; is generally expressed in Young's Modulus constant. It is the resistance of
materials to elastic deformation. The bigger the modulus, the stiffer the material.
The figure shows that;

 The Young’s Modulus value for ceramics are slightly higher than the metals,
showing that both are stiff and strong materials. Meanwhile polymers have the
least Young’s Modulus making them the most ductile materials.

2. Tensile Strength; is the maximum tensile stress materials can handle before
breaking/fracture. If you keep raising the tensile force until it goes beyond the yield strength, the
materials will deform, and leaving them fractured.

Based on the figure above;

  Metals have the highest tensile strength, and then followed by composites as it is
more capable to expand compared to ceramics, and then lastly there are
polymers.

3. Ductility; is the degree of plastic deformation before fracture or simply how much strain a
material can hold before fracture. The comparison is shown below on figure:

From stress strain figure above the comparison can be also marked as;

 Comparative to Ceramics, metals shows low hardness because of metals shows

the plastic deformations when the tensile forces and load has been applied to the
materials.
 Here ceramics are melts at higher temperature and highly brittleness and
shows catastrophic (without intimation of failure the materials) nature
when the ceramics have been used widely.
  Metals has higher hardness value when comparative to polymers
because polymer shows higher plastic defamation when the tensile forces
have been applied.
General comparison of mechanical properties of ceramics, metals and plastics.

Property Ceramics Metal Polymers

Hardness -Highest Low -Lowest

Ductility Lowest High -Highest
-Wear -resistance Highest -Low -Low
Corrosion resistance -High -Low Low
-Thermal Mostly low -High -Low
conductivity
Electrical Mostly low -High -Low
conductivity

6. Cite the reasons why HDPE is more rigid and stronger than LDPE.
Answer
HDPE offers greater rigidity and durability than LDPE

The reasons that make HDPE more rigid and stronger than LDPE are;

 HDPE has little branching, giving it stronger intermolecular forces and tensile
strength (38 MPa versus 21 MPa) than LDPE. The difference in strength exceeds the
difference in density, giving HDPE a higher specific strength.
 Also with in HDPE, there is minimal branching of the polymer chain, which means that
the molecules are packed tightly together during crystallization leading to increased
density and rigidity
 The polymer chains of LDPE are highly branched compared to HDPE. This branching
prevents the chains from stacking neatly beside each other, reducing the intermolecular
forces of attraction. This results in a plastic that is softer and more flexible, but which
also has lower tensile strength.
  HDPE's structure is crystalline. This HDPE's formidable structure gives it a higher
density than LDPE. The forces of attraction between polymer molecules are strong and
its more crystalline structure also results in greater strength.

7. Note the main reasons for the formation of cross linked structure in a thermoset plastic
materials.
Answer
Cross-links are covalent bonds linking one polymer chain to another. They are the characteristic
property of thermosetting polymer materials.

 Why cross link formed, the reasons are here;

 Basically thermoplastic materials contain unsaturation or highly strained
groups that can be cross-linked at room temperature or at high temperature by
aromatic/aliphatic amines or anhydrides or by high.
So, because of the existence of this highly strained groups and unsaturation, thermoset materials
can be cross-linked.
 Also the cross linked structure can be formed by following synthetic methods;
 Cross-links are formed by chemical reactions that are initiated by heat and/or
pressure, or by the mixing of un polymerized or partially polymerized resin with
specific chemicals called crosslinking reagents.
 In general, Polymers can be cross-linked by chemical bonding or physical interaction
or gelation.

To expand, The cross linking of elastomers is achieved by a process called "vulcanization".

Vulcanization involves using a sulphur compound and high temperatures to initiate cross linking
and thermosetting of the polymer.