Material Engineering MDP 202

Spring 2020
Sheet 5 – Polymers

1- (a) Contrast the manner in which stress relaxation and viscoelastic creep tests are conducted.
(b) For each of these tests, cite the experimental parameter of interest and how it is
determined.

2- Briefly explain how each of the following influences the tensile or yield strength of a semi-
crystalline polymer and why:
(a) Molecular weight
(b) Degree of crystallinity
(c) Deformation by drawing
(d) Annealing of an undeformed material

3- Normal butane and isobutane have boiling temperatures of - 0.5 and - 12.3C, respectively.
Briefly explain this behavior on the basis of their molecular structures.

4- The tensile strength and number-average molecular weight for two poly(methylmethacrylate)
materials are as follows:

Estimate the tensile strength at a number-average molecular weight of 30,000 g/mol.

5- The tensile strength and number-average molecular weight for two polyethylene materials
are as follows:

Estimate the number-average molecular weight that is required to give a tensile strength of
195 MPa.

6- For some viscoelastic polymers that are subjected to stress relaxation tests, the stress decays
with time according to
 where 𝜎(𝑡) and 𝜎(0) represent the time-dependent and initial (i.e., time = 0) stresses,
respectively, and t and 𝜏 denote elapsed time and the relaxation time; 𝜏 is a time independent
constant characteristic of the material. A specimen of a viscoelastic polymer whose stress
relaxation obeys Equation 15.10 was suddenly pulled in tension to a measured strain of 0.6;
the stress necessary to maintain this constant strain was measured as a function of time.
Determine Er(10) for this material if the initial stress level was 2.8 MPa, which dropped to
1.75 MPa after 60 s.

7- Determine values for the constants n and k in the equation below for the crystallization of
polypropylene (the figure below) at 140C.

8- Of the polymers listed in the table below, which polymer(s) would be best suited for use as
ice cube trays? Why?
9- On the basis of the structures presented in chapter 14 Callister, sketch repeat unit structures
for the following polymers: (a) poly-chloro-trifluoro-ethylene, and (b) poly vinyl alcohol.

10- (a) Compute the repeat unit molecular weight of polypropylene.

(b) Compute the number-average molecular weight for a polypropylene for which the degree
of polymerization is 15,000.

11- Below, molecular weight data for a polytetrafluoroethylene material are tabulated. Compute
(a) the number-average molecular weight, (b) the weight-average molecular weight, and (c)
the degree of polymerization.

Molecular Weight xi wi
Range (g/mol)
10,000–20,000 0.03 0.01
20,000–30,000 0.09 0.04
30,000–40,000 0.15 0.11
40,000–50,000 0.25 0.23
50,000–60,000 0.22 0.24
60,000–70,000 0.14 0.18
70,000–80,000 0.08 0.12
80,000–90,000 0.04 0.07

12- Molecular weight data for some polymer are tabulated here. Compute (a) the number average
molecular weight, and (b) the weight-average molecular weight. (c) If it is known that this
material’s degree of polymerization is 477, which one of the polymers listed in Table 14.3 is
this polymer? Why?

Molecular Weight xi wi
Range (g/mol)
8,000–20,000 0.05 0.02
20,000–32,000 0.15 0.08
32,000–44,000 0.21 0.17
44,000–56,000 0.28 0.29
56,000–68,000 0.18 0.23
68,000–80,000 0.10 0.16
80,000–92,000 0.03 0.05
8,000–20,000 0.05 0.02
13- Make comparisons of thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers (a) on the basis of mechanical
characteristics upon heating, and (b) according to possible molecular structures.

14- (a) Is it possible to grind up and reuse phenol-formaldehyde? Why or why not?
(b) Is it possible to grind up and reuse polypropylene? Why or why not?
15- The density and associated percent crystallinity for two poly (ethylene terephthalate) materials
are as follows:

(g/cm3) Crystallinity (%)

1.408 74.3
1.343 31.2
(a) Compute the densities of totally crystalline and totally amorphous poly (ethylene
Terephthalate).
(b) Determine the percent crystallinity of a specimen having a density of 1.382 g/cm3.

16- The density and associated percent crystallinity for two polypropylene materials are
as follows:
(g/cm3) Crystallinity (%)
0.904 62.8
0.895 54.4
(a) Compute the densities of totally crystalline and totally amorphous polypropylene.
(b) Determine the density of a specimen having 74.6% crystallinity.