DEPARTMENT OF METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING & MATERIALS SCIENCE MM453: Engineering Polyme rs & Composites Date: 13.08.

13 QUIZ TEST 2 Total Marks: 40, Time: 50 minutes

Q1. (a) Ascending order of Tg: PE (-120 o C) < PP (0 o C) < PVC (85 o C) < PS (100 o C) < PC (150 o C)

-CH2-CHX-

where,

(PE),

-CH3

(PP),

-Cl

(PVC),

(PS),

(PC) - Depending upon the nature of the pendant group the flexibility of the polymer chains varies. - Presence of bulky pendant groups will result in the increased Tg - Also polar groups and aromatic groups enhance the glass transitio n temperature (b) At low levels the ordered arrangement of the PE polymer chains is disturbed by the presence of the Cl, hence the softening point decreases At high levels there is a possibility of interchain dipole-dipole interaction between the neighbouring Cl atoms (c) HDPE polymerized under low pressure in the presence of catalysts, therefore the extent of branching is controlled, and leads to highly ordered high density structure LDPE polymerized under the high pressure in the presence of co- monomers, therefore extent of branching is higher leading to low density structures (d) (I) rubbery copolymer random co-polymer, lack of long range order hence exhibits low Tg (II) stiff copolymer block copolymer, ordered structure due to presence of block of ethylene and propylene units resulting in the stiff, tough and opaque copolymer

Q2. (a) True Polyethylene exhibits ordered structure due to linear chain structure, presence of vinyl acetate units (co-polymerization) makes the crystallization difficult due to bulkier pendant group) (b) False Crosslinked polymers exhibit very high Tg (c) True Nylon6 is a polar polymer and can interact with the solvent molecules at room temperature hence is soluble in polar solvents at room temperature. Linear polyethylene is non-polar and thus cannot interact with the solvent at room temperature. (d) False Addition of plasticizer makes it flexible and transparent with decreased Tg. Presence of plasticizer results in the increased free volume therefore, the flexibility of the PVC increases and the T g decreases (e) False Polyethylene cannot be made 100 % amorphous when quenched to 0 o C from melt.

In order to achieve 100 % amorphous polymer, the melt has to be quenched below the glass transition temperature. The Tg of PE is -120 o C, hence even if the polymer is quenched to 0 o C there will be a formation of crystal fraction since the rate of crystallization is very high

Q3. (a) Given: Tg,PS = 100 o C = 373 K, Tg,PB = -60 o C = 213 K Ladakh min temperature = -30 o C = 303 K, Delhi min temperature = 0 o C = 273 K 1/Tg = w1 /Tg1 + w2 /Tg2 and w1 + w2 = 1

For Ladakh, 1/303 = w1/373 + (1-w1)/213 w1 = 69.15 % w2 = 30.85 % For Delhi, 1/273 = w1/373 + (1-w1)/213 w1 = 51.2 % w2 = 48.8 % (b) Given: PE/PET blend 80:20 (wt/wt) Hm,PE,100%,cryst = 192.5 J/g Hm,PET,100 % cryst = 204.8 J/g Experimental values: Hm,PE,expt = 85 J/g Hm,PET,expt = 20 J/g %Xt

For PE, %Xt = 85/ (0.8 x 192.5) x 100 = 55.19 % For PET, %Xt = 20/ (0.2 x 204.8) x 100 = 48.82 % % Xt,PET = 48.82 % % Xt,PE = 55.19 %

Q4. (a) Methods : 1. Co-polymerization, 2. Blending of two homopolymer (b) Given: For PET, Tg = 70 o C, Tm = 270 o C Bigger spherulites at 220 o C Smaller spherulites at 110 o C Increase in the undercooling (Tm Tx) results in increased rate of crystallization Crystal thickness varies inversely with the undercooling; hence crystals formed when crystallized at lower temperatures (at 110 o C) are smaller (higher undercooling). On the other hand, when crystallized at 220 o C, the undercooling is lower, rate of crystallization is lower and thus the spherulites formed are bigger