POLYMERS

Rahul Yadav

By

Table of contents

What is a polymer
How are polymers created in lab? (Video)
What types of Polymers are there?
What is the chemical structure?
How are polymers used?
What are the physical and chemical
properties of polymers
Nanopolymers
Shape Memory Polymers (SMPs)
Light emitting polymers (OLED/PLED/LEP)

What is a polymer?
A polymer is a large
molecule composed of
repeating structural
units typically
connected by covalent
chemical bonds

Different types of Polymers Polyethylene

Most common and
important polymer;
bags, insulation for
wires, squeeze
bottles

High density

Low density

Different types of Polymers Polypropylene

Fibers, indoor-outdoor
carpets, bottles

Max T: 275F/135C
Min T: 32F 0C
Melting P: 338F 170C
Tensile Strength: 4,500 psi
Hardness: R95
UV Resistance:Poor
Excellent resistance to dilute
and concentrated Acids,
Alcohols, Bases and Mineral Oils
Good resistance to Aldehydes,
Esters, Aliphatic Hydrocarbons,
Ketones and Vegetable Oils
Limited resistance (for short
term use only) to Aromatic and
Halogenated Hydrocarbons and
Oxidizing Agents

Different types of Polymers Polystyrene

Styrofoam,
inexpensive
household goods,
inexpensive molded
objects
Properties of EPS Molded Packaging
Stress@1 Flexura Tensile Shear
Densi 0%Compr l
Streng Stren
ty
ession Strengt th
gth
(pcf)
(psi) h (psi) (psi) (psi)
1
13
29
31
31
1.5
24
43
51
53
2
30
58
62
70
2.5
42
75
74
92
3
64
88
88
118
3.3
67
105
98
140
4
80
125
108
175

Different types of Polymers

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
Synthetic leather,
clear bottles, floor
covering, water pipes
Max T: 158F 70C
Min T: -13F -25C
Melting P: 176F
80C
Tensile Strength:
6,500 psi
Hardness: R105
UV Resistance:Good

Different types of Polymers

Polytetrafluoroethylene
(Teflon)
Nonstick surfaces,
chemically
resistant films
Max T: 572F 300C
Min T: 392F -200C
Melting P: 626F
330C
Tensile Strength:
6,240 psi
Hardness: R58

Different types of Polymers

Poly(methylmethacrylate)
(Lucite, Plexiglas)
Unbreakable glass,
latex paints
Clear, colorless
polymer used
extensively for
optical applications

Different types of Polymers

Polyacrylonitrile (Orlon,
Acrilan, Creslan)
Fiber used in sweaters,
blankets and carpets
most commonly used
in fiber form. Since it
softens only slightly
below its thermal
degradation
temperature, it must
be processed by wet
or dry spinning rather
than melt spinning.

Different types of Polymers

Poly(vinyl acetate)(PVA)
Adhesive, latex
paints, chewing
gum, textile
coatings
primarily used in
adhesives, both
emulsion and hot-melt
types. It is also used in
water based emulsion
paints.

Different types of Polymers

Natural Rubber
Polymer crosslinked with sulfur
(vulcanization)

Different types of Polymers

Polychloroprene (neoprene
rubber)

Cross-linked with ZnO; resistant

to oil and gasoline
Resists degradation from sun,
ozone and weather
Performs well in contact with
oils and many chemicals
Remains useful over a wide
temperature range
Displays outstanding physical
toughness
Resists burning better than
exclusively hydrocarbon rubbers
Outstanding resistance to
damage caused by flexing and
twisting

Different types of Polymers

Styrene butadiene rubber
(SBR)
Styrene butadiene
rubber (SBR) is the
largest volume synthetic
rubber. With over 70% of
SBR being consumed in
the manufacture of tires
Elongation (%) 150
Melting point oC 120
Specific gravity 1.04
Tensile strength (Psi)
400

Nanopolymers

Polymer nanocomposites (PNC) is a polymer or copolymer

having dispersed in its nanoparticles. These may be of different
shape (e.g., platelets, fibers, spheroids), but at least one
dimension must be in the range of 1 to 50 nm.
PNC's belong to the category of multi-phase systems (MPS, viz.
blends, composites, and foams) that consume nearly 95% of
plastics production. These systems require controlled
mixing/compounding, stabilization of the achieved dispersion.
increase in surface are-to-volume ratio, which increases as the
particles get smaller, leads to an increasing dominance of the
behavior of atoms on the surface area of particle over that of
those interior of the particle. Because of the higher surface area of
the nano-particles the interaction with the other particles within
the mixture is more and this increases the strength, heat
resistance etc.
Silicon nanospheres, fullerens (buckyballs), carbon nanotubes
(buckytubes), graphene, etc

Some areas of nanopolymer

research and use
Materials that dont normally stick together can
be bonded by using a one-nanometer-high layer
of self-assembling polymer chains. The
nanoglue consists of chains of carbon and
hydrogen atoms customized with appropriate
molecules at the ends. This one has chains with
sulfur at one end, to join copper components
with other materials on computer chips (can be
customized) . This glue is 10 times thinner than
current chips glue.
Electro-Spinning is a process that utilizes high
electrical voltage to produce polymer fibers
from polymer solutions or melts. It produces
ultra-fine fibers, with huge surface-to volume
ratio, which have great application potentials in
many fields such as protective clothing, air
filtration, sensors, drug delivery system,
sensors.

Some areas of nanopolymer

research and use
Adding nanoparticulates to a polymer matrix can enhance its
performance, often in very dramatic degree, by simply capitalizing
on the nature and properties of the nanoscale filler ( nanofilled
polymer composites ). For example, reinforcing a polymer matrix
by much stiffer nanoparticles of ceramics, clays, or carbon
nanotubes; also to add new properties like fire resistance or
accelerated biodegradability.
Bio-hybrid polymer nanofibers : Many technical applications of
biological objects like proteins, viruses or bacteria such as
chromatography, optical information technology, sensorics,
catalysis and drug delivery require their immobilization. Carbon
nanotubes, gold particles and synthetic polymers are used for this
purpose. This immobilization has been achieved predominantly by
adsorption or by chemical binding and to a lesser extent by
incorporating these objects as guests in host matrices

Some areas of nanopolymer

research and use
Self-Assembling Polymer
Nanostructures

Formed by dissolving a coil-like polymer such as

polystyrene in a fast-evaporating solvent such as
benzene; placed on a glass slide, air is directed
across it as the solvent evaporates. The
temperature drops, producing a three-dimensional
pattern of closely packed water droplets preserved
in the polymer film. The water then evaporates
layer by layer, leaving an interconnected network
of perfect air bubbles.
Application: in optics, using structures with pore
dimensions comparable to the wavelength of
visible light. That makes them of interest as
potential photonic band gap materials, optical
waveguides, beam-steering systems -- and even
arrays of dye lasers. Photonic band gap (PBG)
materials are a new class of dielectrics which are
the photonic analogues of semiconductors (used
for optical switches). (like single crystal colloidal
silica in a silicon wafer; all-optical information
processing)

Image shows air bubbles in selfassembled polymer structure.

Shape Memory Polymers

(SMPs)
are polymeric smart materials which have the ability to return
from a deformed state (temporary shape) to their original
(permanent) shape induced by an external stimulus
Two properties:
strain recovery rate (Rr)
strain fixity rate (Rf).
The strain recovery rate describes the ability of the material to
memorize its permanent shape, while the strain fixity rate
describes the ability of switching segments to fix the mechanical
deformation.
Triggers

Temperature
pH
Light
Magnetic or electric field

Shape Memory Polymers

(SMPs)

where N is the cycle

number, Em is the
maximum strain imposed
on the material, and Ep (N)
and Ep (N-1) are the
strains of the sample in to
successive cycles in the
stress-free state before
yield stress is applied.

Light Emitting Polymers

also called organic light

emitting diode (OLED)
an LED whose emissive
electroluminescent layer is
composed of a film of organic
compounds. The layer contains
a polymer that allows organic
compounds to be deposited.
They are deposited in rows and
columns onto a flat carrier by a
simple "printing" process. The
resulting matrix of pixels can
emit light of different colors.
or involves an
electroluminescent conductive
polymer that emits light when
connected to an external
voltage source; used as a thin
film for full-spectrum color
displays

Light Emitting Polymers

Advantages:
low energy requirements; flexibility
can be printed onto any suitable substrate using an inkjet printer
greater range of colors, gamut, brightness, contrast and viewing angle than
LCDs
pixel colors appear correct and unshifted, even as the viewing angle
approaches 90 degrees from normal
LCDs use a backlight and cannot show true black, while an off OLED
element produces no light and consumes no power
OLEDs also have a faster response time than standard LCD screens.
Whereas the fastest LCD displays currently have a 2ms response time
(manufacturer's quote), an OLED can have less than 0.01ms response time.
Disadvantages:
limited lifetime of the organic materials (5 years at 8 hours a day)
To increase lifetime: a metal membrane helps deliver light from polymers in
the substrate throughout the glass surface more efficiently than current
OLEDs. The result is the same picture quality with half the brightness and a
doubling of the screen's expected life (exceeding the lifetime of LCDs)
Water will damage or destroy the OLED; Therefore, improved sealing
processes are important for practical manufacturing and may limit the
longevity of more flexible displays.