Polymer properties and

fabrication
HMK
Elastic and viscoelastic behaviour
• When an elastic material is stressed, there is an immediate and corresponding
strain response

• When the stress is removed the strain also returns to zero

• So in a perfectly elastic material all the deformation is returned to normal

• The energy used if not stored elastically it is dissipated as either heat or sound.
Elastic behaviour
• When stressed, a perfectly
elastic material deforms in
proportion to the applied stress
and returns to its original state
when the stress is released

If the material is linear and

elastic then the applied stress
directly proportional to the
strain
Viscous behaviour

• Viscous flow is not recoverable

• When the stress is removed from a viscous

fluid the strain remains

• A viscous fluid is deformed permanently by

an applied stress and continues to deform
if stressed again
Viscoelasticity
• The deformations of viscous polymers
under stress are time dependent

• If the imposed mechanical stress is held

constant then the resultant strain will
increase with time

• This causes the polymer to creep

• In the recovery stage the strain has still

not returned to zero after the stress has
been removed.
 Electrical conductivity
Conductive polymers are organic polymers that conduct electricity
Such compounds may have metallic conductivity or can be semiconductors

• Requirements for Polymers to be

-e Electrically Conducting

-e
• Just like metals have high conductivity due
to the free movement of electrons through
their structure,

+e
• for polymeric systems to be electronically
+e conductive they must possess Charge
carriers
 Electrical conductivity
• Conducting polymers have a backbone containing alternating double and
single bonds

• The simplest example is polyacetylene,

• Electrons in the double bonds (Pii-electrons) are mobile and therefore

provide a way of carrying current.
Biodegradable polymers
• These are a specific type of polymers that break down after the
intended purpose is done

• It results into bi-products such as gases like carbon dioxide, nitrogen,

water vapor, biogas and inorganic salts

• Example natural polymers like cellulose, cotton

• However, micro-organisms have of recent been engineered to degrade

otherwise non-biodegradable polymers
Non-biodegradable polymers
• These are not broken down into other bi-products by microbial
activity

• Non-biodegradable wastes include:

• Plastic products like grocery bags, plastic bags, water bottles, etc.

• Construction waste, rubber tires, man-made fibres like nylon etc.

Polymer Additives
Improve mechanical properties, durability, etc.
• Fillers
• Added to improve tensile strength & abrasion
resistance, toughness & decrease cost

• examples: carbon black, silica gel, wood flour, glass,

limestone, etc.

• Plasticizers
– Added to transforms brittle polymer to a ductile one

– Commonly added to PVC - otherwise it is brittle

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Polymer Additives (cont.)
• Stabilizers
• Antioxidants
• UV protectants
• Lubricants
– Added to allow to polymer “slides” through dies
easier
– example: sodium stearate
• Colorants
– Dyes and pigments
–Added to improve appearance

• Flame Retardants
– Substances containing chlorine, fluorine, and boron
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–Added to reduce the flammability of the polymer
Processing of Plastics
• Thermoplastic
• can be reversibly cooled & reheated, i.e. recycled

• heat until soft, shape as desired, then cool

• Examples : polyethylene, polypropylene,

polystyrene.

• Thermoset
– degrades (doesn’t melt) when heated

–Examples: melamine
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Processing Plastics – Compression Molding
Thermoplastics and thermosets
• polymer and additives placed in mold cavity
• mold heated and pressure applied
• fluid polymer assumes shape of mold

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 Processing Plastics – Injection Molding
Thermoplastics and some thermosets

• plastic pellets drop from hopper into barrel

• plastic pellets enter into the heating chamber (around the spreader) where the plastic
melts as it moves forward

• molten plastic is forced under pressure (injected) into the mold cavity where it assumes
the shape of the mold

Barrel
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Processing Plastics – Extrusion
thermoplastics
• plastic pellets drop from hopper onto the turning screw
• plastic pellets melt as the turning screw pushes them
forward by the heaters
• molten polymer is forced under pressure through the
shaping die to form the final product (extrudate)

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 Blow Molding

Polymer tubing/ parison, is extruded as

above

While still in a semi-molten state, the

length is placed in a mold having the
desired container configuration

The hollow piece is formed by blowing

air or steam under pressure into the
polymer length

Thus forcing the tube walls to conform to

the contours of the mold.

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