Exam Processing and Properties of Polymers

(202000132)

January 24, 2024

8:30-11:30

Question 1: Multiple choice questions

a) B

b) D

c) B

d) B

e) B

f) C

g) B

h) A

i) A

j) D
Question 2: Processing of Polypropylene

a)

isotactic polypropylene: the location of the side group is regular

atactic polypropylene: the location of the side group is random. Make sure to draw the molecule
sufficiently long to illustrate (a certain degree of) randomness.

b)

c) The melt viscosity is a strong fuction of the weight averaged molecular weight, Mw. This we can
calculate easily from the table and the equation sheet and is ~ 100 kg/mol. Grade 4 is monodisperse,
thus has a lower Mw of 80 kg/mol. Shear thinning is controlled by polydispersity, which will be less
for grade 4, as again, it is monodisperse. This will lead to the following figure:
d) Die swell is caused by melt-elasticity and is steered by the longest fraction of molecules, Mz or
even Mz+1. These longest molecules orient in the extruder channel in the direction of flow, at the die
exit they will expand back to a random confirmation, causing an extrudate that has a larger diameter.

One possible solution is to give the channel a larger diameter. This will reduce the shear rate within
the channel, leading to less oriented molecules.

Other possible solutions involve: disturbing the flow in the channel, making the channel shorter
giving less time for the flow to develop, reducing friction between the mould and the polymer melt.

Question 3: Mechanical Switch

a)

b) The combined stress of a generalized Maxwell model is calculated as an addition of exponential

terms, such as in the expression for the relaxation modulus E(t).
c)

d) After 30 minutes three actions can be identified, with help of the sketch at c).

The stress at 30 minutes = +0.5%*E((30-0)*60) – 0.5%*E((30-20)*60)+0.5%*E((30-25)*60) = 3.43 MPa

Mind that the relaxation function works in seconds, not minutes.

Question 4: Mechanical Properties of Polystyrene

a)

b) During a tensile test, the aged PS will show more brittle behaviour. During ageing, the molecules
strive towards their thermodynamic equilibrium, a more dense packing of the molecules leading to
stronger intermolecular interactions. This increases the yield stress of the material, hence also the
strain softening, causing more unstable behaviour.

c) Reduce strain softening. One possible sample treatment is to rejuvenate the sample by a rolling
treatment.

Increase strain hardening. One possible sample treatment is to modify the sample using fillers or
slight crosslinkers to enhance the amount of strain softening in the material.

Question 5: Elastomers

a)

Ingredient PHR (parts per hundred Function

rubber)

Polymer 100 Provides main properties to

the final product

Filler 20-90 Reinforcing, enhancing

properties (inactive fillers
sometimes to make compound
cheaper)

Oil 5-35 Processing aid, lowering

viscosity/hardness

Anti Ozonant/Oxidant 1-5 Protection against ozon, uv,

etc.
 Vulcanization agent 1-3 Creates crosslinks

Accelerator 1-5 Accelerates vulcanization

Activator 1-5 Activates vulcanization

b) Rubber is a viscoelastic material. During the deformation (bouncing on the steel plate) energy is
dissipated in form of heat. This is called Hysteresis. It influences the damping behaviour of rubber!

At -100 degree C the rubber will be below (at least way closer) to its Tg. Therefore it becomes brittle
and hard. Polymer chains are “frozen” in this state and chain mobility is restricted. Therefore the
rubber ball will not deform (or less) than before, especially the viscos contribution is therefore
lowered (and hence more eastic). Less energy can be dissipated in form of friction/heat and
therefore the rubber ball will bounce back higher! (assuming it will not scatter)

Comment: Doing this experiment with a steel or glass ball would lead to almost 100 % bouncing
because they are high elastic (no deformation of the material and therefore energy dissipation into
heat)

c) The most important tire properties to be predicted are rolling resistance and wet grip

d) “Recycling” possibilities for rubber

• Disposal (e.g. landfill) – technically not recycling but it still is done quite a lot
• Down-cycling (e.g. shredding and using particles in football fields)
• Energy Recovery (e.g. buring during the production of concrete)
• Pyrolysis (burning without O2 to reclaim oil and filler)
• Partly re-use (e.g. retreading, re-suing all parts of the tire again besides the tread)
• Chemical recycling (regaining monomers by a complex and expensive treatment)
• Re-purposing (e.g. using tires for art, bumpers on racing tracks, etc…)