Polymer Processing

References
•Billmeyer* Ch. 17, 18
•Elias** Ch. 14

*Textbook of Polymer Science 2nd Ed.

Wiley-Interscience, New York (1962,1971)
**An Introduction to Polymer Science
VCH, New York (1997)
 Legacy Lecture of Fall 2000
This lecture was contributed by the MS-I class of Fall 2000.

Left to Right
Nhan Thai, Lee Madsen, Lu Ziqiang, Zu Yichuan, Nikhil Gupta
Simon Mwongela, Andrea Dupre, Mariah McMasters, Vera Verdree, Angela Davis
Nadia Edwin, Thomas Morgan, Amy Morara, Xiaoming Liang
Missing: Justin Mecomber
 Not just one polystyrene
Selected PS grades from BASF. VEF=very easy flow; HM=high molar mass; HR = heat resistant.
Taken from Elias, Ch. 14. Processing engineers select grades using data such as these, perhaps relying
on such numbers more than the molecular data such as M or Rg that chemists are used to.
Physical Test Unit Grade
Property Condition VEF EF HM HR HM-HR
Viscosity ? mL/g 74 96 119 96 119
Number
o
Note how completely unmolecular!
Heat 0.45 MPa C 80 82 84 98 98
Distortion
Temp B
What molecular properties do
Heat 1.8 MPa o
C 70 72 76 86 86 you suppose correspond to EF,
Distortion
Temp B
o
HR or HM?
Vicat 10 N C 88 88 92 106 106
Temp A
o
Vicat 50 N C 84 84 89 101 101
Temp B
Young's 1 mm/min MPa 3150 3200 3150 3200 3250
Modulus
Creep 1000 h MPa ? 2300 2830 2700 2850
Modulus
Tensile 5 mm/min MPa 46 50 56 50 63
strength
Fracture 5 mm/min % 1.5 2 2 2 3
elongation
Impact -30 to + 23 oC kJ/m2 6 9 11 10 13
strength
Notched -30 to + 23 oC kJ/m2 2 2 2 2 2
Impact
Strength
 Back to the Beginning
Early in the course, we tried several ways to categorize polymers, such as
condensation vs. addition, etc. From a processing point of view, the main
classes are:

Thermoplastic: the resin is heated to make a viscous liquid and then

processed into a usable object without much additional chemistry. Example:
polyethylene, polystyrene.

Thermoset: upon heating, further reaction occurs to make molecules “set up”
into a useful product. Chemistry occurs, so these are sometimes called
“reactive polymers”. The resin may be provided as either small molecules or
“prepregs”—partially polymerized stuff. Example: polyurethanes, phenol-
formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde, epoxy glue.
 Compression Molding

Platen
Heat and
Cooling Mold
Plunger

Guide
Heat and Pins
Cooling
Mold
Cavity
Compound to be molded
Platen
Hydraulic
Pressure Hydraulic
Plunger

Redrawn by Nikhil Gupta and Yichuan Xu from Billmeyer Fig. 17-1

 Injection Molding

Nozzle Feed hopper,

contains polymer pellets

Hydraulic
Pressure

Redrawn by Ziqiang Lu and Andrea Dupre from Billmeyer Fig. 17-2

Blow Molding—e.g. milk bottle
Plastic

Extruded Parison- Mold Closed and Bottle Finished Bottle

Mold Open Blown Removed from Mold

Redrawn by Thomas Morgan from Billmeyer Fig.17-3

 Four-roll calender
Wad of plastic

To conditioning
equipment

Based on Billmeyer Fig. 17-4 (references Winding 1961)

A Plastics Extruder—e.g. tubing

Feed hopper

Cores for
Heaters cooling water

Drive shaft

Die

Screw

Redrawn from Billmeyer 17-5 by Xiaoming Liang

 Fiber Drawing
Heater (Optional)
Stretching Zone

Drive roll

Control Snubbing 2
rolls pin

(2 > 1)

1 Drawn yarn to
Skewed idler roll bobbin

Undrawn
pretwisted yarn

Redrawn by Nadia Edwin from Billmeyer 18-5 (Riley 1956)

 Polymer
Chips/Beads

Melting
Zone Heating Grid

Pool
Metered Pump
Extrusion
Filter and
Spinner
(controlled
flow) Spinneret
Air Diffuser
Melt

Extruded Fiber Cools

and Solidifies Here

Moisture
Conditioning
Steam
Chamber

Lubrication
by oil disk Feed
and trough rolls

Packaging

Yarn Bobbin
driver
Redrawn by Lee Madsen
From Billmeyer 18-4, citing Riley 1956 Bobbin drive
 Dry Spinning

Filtered
polymer
Feed solution
Dry Spinning of Fibers Metered
extrusion Pump

from a Solution Filter and

spinneret

Solidification
by solv ent Heated
evaporation chamber

Feed roll
and guide

Air
Lubric ation inlet

Yarn driv ing

Balloon guide

Packaging

Ring and traveler

Bobbin transverse

Spindle
Wet Spinning (e.g. Kevlar)
Cotton
Dry Spun Acetate
Need tenacity vs. Elongation
Plot—a Student Project like
Billmeyer 18-1
 Fiber properties for textile use
Chemical Physical Biological Fabric Qualities
Stability to: Mechanical Toxicological Appearance
 Acid  Tenacity Dematological  Drape
 Base  Elongation Resistance:  Hand
 Bleach  Stiffness  Bacteria  Luster
 Solvents  Flex cycles  Molds (Kawabata machine
 Heat  Abrasion  Insects can measure)
 Sunlight resistance
 Aging  Work recovery
 Tensile recovery
Flammability Thermal Permeability Comfort
 Melting Point  Can protect  Warmth
 Softening Point against  Water sorption
 Tg biotoxins?  Moisture
 Tdecompose retention
 Wicking

Ease of drying Electrical Sensors Stability

 Surface  Can detect  Shape
resistivity pathogens?  Shrinkage
(static)  Felting
 Pilling
 Crease
resistance or
retention
Wetability

Adapted from Billmeyer Table 18-1.