Polymer manufacturing processes
- MIXING (compounding) Powder, melt, dispersion, solution
- FORMING 2.1 2-D FORMING Extrusion, calendering, coating 2.2 3-D FORMING Thermoforming Moulding: compression, transfer, Injection, blow; rotational
- FINISHING
What is a polymer and what is it made of?
Polymers are materials made of long, repeating chains of molecules. There are natural and synthetic polymers, including proteins and rubber, and glass and epoxies.
Which process generates polymers?
polymerization manner by which monomers are converted into polymers as they are joined together by covalent bonds chain reaction (addition polymerization) process by which monomer units are attached one at a time in chainlike fashion to form a linear macromolecule initiation monomer gains an active site for the process of polymerization propagation
How does a monomer make a polymer?
The most common polyethylene grades are:
- high-density polyethylene (HDPE). This polymer has a density greater than or equal to 0.941 g/cm 3. ...
- medium-density polyethylene (MDPE). With a density range between 0.925 and 0.940 g/cm 3, MDPE has better shock and stress crack resistance than HDPE and is commonly used for gas pipes, ...
- low-density polyethylene (LDPE). ...
What are polymers and their uses?
- Versatility, low cost production and the ease of manufacture are just a handful of the benefits of plastics (American Chemistry Council, 2019).
- Infrastructure of buildings, homes and bridges to be durable, sustainable and long-lasting. ...
- Automotive industry in terms of fuel efficiency, performance and safety. ...
What is a polymer?
A polymer is any of a class of natural or synthetic substances composed of very large molecules, called macromolecules, which are multiples of simp...
Why are organic polymers important?
Organic polymers play a crucial role in living things, providing basic structural materials and participating in vital life processes. For example,...
What are the examples of natural polymers?
Natural polymers include proteins, which are polymers of amino acids, and nucleic acids, which are polymers of nucleotides—complex molecules compos...
What are some examples of polymers?
Popular polymers for manufacturing include polyethylene and polypropylene .
What causes monomers to form polymers?
The process causes the molecules to bond in a linear, branched or network structure, resulting in polymers.
How many monomers are in polyethylene?
Popular polymers for manufacturing include polyethylene and polypropylene. Their molecules can consist of 10,000 to 200,000 monomers. During a polymerization reaction, a large number of monomers become connected by covalent bonds to form a single long molecule, a polymer. (Image credit: LibreTexts)
What is a hologram made of?
Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania created a hologram on flexible polymer material called PDMA that was embedded with gold nanorods, according to a study published online in early 2017 in the journal Nano Letters. This new hologram device can hold several images instead of just one.
What are monomers called?
These chains of monomers are also called macromolecules. Most polymer chains have a string of carbon atoms as a backbone. A single macromolecule can consist of hundreds of thousands of monomers, according to the Polymer Science Learning Center.
What are some polymers that are hard and stretchy?
Some polymers bend and stretch, like rubber and polyester. Others are hard and tough, like epoxies and glass. Polymers touch almost every aspect of modern life. Chances are most people have been in contact with at least one polymer-containing product — from water bottles to gadgets to tires — in the last five minutes.
What are proteins made of?
Proteins are natural polymers made up of amino acids, and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) are polymers of nucleotides — complex molecules composed of nitrogen-containing bases, sugars and phosphoric acid, for example.
What is the name of the chain of molecules that make up a polymer?
The term polymers refers to “many parts,” as the word stems from the Greek language. The molecules that make up the polymer are called monomers, or “one part” in Greek. Think of a polymer as a chain made up of various links. Each of the links on the change is a monomer.
What makes polymerization unique?
What makes polymerization so unique is that stable covalent chemical bonds form between the monomers. This is what makes it different from processes like crystallization where numerous molecules come together due to other forces. It is the unique components of polymers that help to make the end products desired.
What are some examples of condensation polymerization?
This is normally water. There are many examples of polymers like this. Two types of condensation polymerization results include polyamides and polyesters. There are many other forms of them.
What is the process of molecules joining together called?
This process of the molecules coming together is called polymerization . Polymer chemistry is the science behind this process. While it may seem quite simplistic, there are numerous ways and types of molecules that can join together, creating a wide range of different end products. Take a closer look at how this happens.
What is the simplest monomer?
The simplest of monomers are made up of just an atom or a couple of atoms. The more complicated links in this change can be made up of numerous atoms and even structures that are a ring shape that contain many more atoms. In natural polymers, each of the links in the chain can be different from the other links in the chain.
What is the atom that binds to a monomer?
In this method of forming a polymer, a monomer has an exposed H (hydrogen) atom on it. This binds to another monomer that has an exposed OH (oxygen-hydrogen) atom. When these two components come together, it creates the release of water – that’s because the H combines with the OH to create H2O, or water.
What is the backbone of polymers?
Polymers start with a basic chain of bonded links. This bonding is a chemical process. This initial chain of links is often referred to as the backbone. Many polymers will have secondary parts that hold on at various parts of the links. Sometimes, these dangling pieces are just a single atom.
What are some examples of polymers?
Polymers make up many of the materials in living organisms, including, for example, proteins, cellulose, and nucleic acids. Moreover, they constitute the basis of such minerals as diamond, quartz, and feldspar and such man-made materials as concrete, glass, paper, plastics, and rubbers.
How many monomers are in polyethylene?
Polyethylene, composed of repeating ethylene monomers, is an addition polymer. It may have as many as 10,000 monomers joined in long coiled chains. Polyethylene is crystalline, translucent, and thermoplastic—i.e., it softens when heated.
What is polymer in 2021?
polymer, any of a class of natural or synthetic substances composed of very large molecules, called macromolecules, that are multiples of simpler chemical units called monomers. Polymers make up many of the materials in living organisms, including, for example, proteins, cellulose, and nucleic acids. ...
What are diamonds made of?
Learn about manufacturing diamonds for use in research. Many inorganic polymers also are found in nature, including diamond and graphite. Both are composed of carbon. In diamond, carbon atoms are linked in a three-dimensional network that gives the material its hardness.
What is vinyl acetate made of?
Vinyl acetate, produced by the reaction of ethylene and acetic acid, polymerizes to amorphous, soft resins used as coatings and adhesives. It copolymerizes with vinyl chloride to produce a large family of thermoplastic materials. PVC piping. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes.
What is PVC packaging?
If one hydrogen atom in ethylene is replaced by a chlorine atom, vinyl chloride is produced. This polymerizes to polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a colourless, hard, tough, thermoplastic material that can be manufactured in a number of forms, including foams, films, and fibres.
What is polypropylene used for?
It is used for coatings, packaging, molded parts, and the manufacture of bottles and containers. Polypropylene is also crystalline and thermoplastic but is harder than polyethylene. Its molecules may consist of from 50,000 to 200,000 monomers. This compound is used in the textile industry and to make molded objects.
What are polymers made of?
Polymers, whether artificial (such as the plastic shown) or natural, are made of repeating chains of smaller chemical units. Here, carbon atoms are shown as black, oxygen as red and hydrogen as white.
What is the name of the material that takes up space between polymers?
Sometimes materials scientists add other things to their polymers to make them flexible. Known as plasticizers (PLAA-stih-sy-zurs), these take up space between individual polymer chains. Think of them as acting like a molecular-scale lubricant. They let the individual chains slide across each other more easily.
How many atoms are in a polymer chain?
They are so big, in fact, that scientists classify them as macromolecules. Polymer chains can include hundreds of thousands of atoms — even millions. The longer a polymer chain, the heavier it will be. And, in general, longer polymers will give the materials made from them a higher melting and boiling temperature.
What is a monomer in science?
Each of those parts is scientists call a monomer (which in Greek means “one part”). Think of a polymer as a chain, with each of its links a monomer. Those monomers can be simple — just an atom or two or three — or they might be complicated ring-shaped structures containing a dozen or more atoms.
How many atoms are in PVC?
For example, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is made by linking long chains of monomers (shown in the bracket). It’s made of two carbon atoms, three hydrogens and one chlorine atom. Zerbor/iStockphoto. Some polymers are flexible. Others are very stiff.
Why do polymers have a higher viscosity?
The reason: They have a greater surface area, which makes them want to stick to neighboring molecules.
Why are cotton and silk polymers?
The reason: They have a greater surface area, which makes them want to stick to neighboring molecules. Wool, cotton and silk are natural polymer-based materials that have been used since ancient times. Cellulose, the main component of wood and paper, also is a natural polymer.
What is the process of creating synthetic polymers?
Polymerization is the process of creating synthetic polymers by combining small monomer molecules into chains held together by covalent bonds. The two major forms of polymerization are step-growth polymerization and chain-growth polymerization.
What is polymer in the industry?
our editorial process. Todd Johnson. Updated December 05, 2019. The term polymer is commonly used in the plastics and composites industry, often as a synonym for plastic or resin. Actually, polymers include a range of materials with a variety of properties.
What are the properties of polymers?
Depending on the desired use, polymers can be fine-tuned to leverage certain advantageous properties. These include: 1 Reflectivity: Some polymers are used to produce reflective film, which is used in a variety of light-related technologies. 2 Impact Resistance: Sturdy plastics that can withstand rough handling are perfect for luggage, protective cases, car bumpers, and more. 3 Brittleness: Some forms of polystyrene are hard and brittle and easy to deform using heat. 4 Translucence: See-through polymers, including polymer clay, are often used in arts and crafts. 5 Ductility: Unlike brittle polymers, ductile polymers can be deformed without falling apart. Metals such as gold, aluminum, and steel are known for their ductility. Ductile polymers, while not as strong as other polymers, are useful for many purposes. 6 Elasticity: Natural and synthetic rubbers have elastic properties that make them ideal for car tires and similar products.
Why are polymers unique?
Because of their structure, polymers have unique properties that can be tailored for different uses. Polymers are both man-made and naturally occurring. Rubber, for example, is a natural polymeric material that has been used for thousands of years. It has excellent elastic qualities, the result of a molecular polymer chain created by mother nature.
What is the most common type of polymer used in composites?
The most common polymers used in composites are polyester, vinyl ester, and epoxy.
What are polymers used for?
These include: Reflectivity: Some polymers are used to produce reflective film, which is used in a variety of light-related technologies.
What is the most common natural polymer?
The most common natural polymer on Earth is cellulose, an organic compound found in the cell walls ...
How are polymers created?
Polymers can be either natural or synthetic and are created when small molecules, also known as monomers, combine chemically to form a larger network of connected molecules. The term is derived from the Greek prefix “poly-,” which means “many,” and the suffix “-mer,” which means “parts.”. What makes these networks unique is ...
What is manufactured polymer?
Manufactured polymers are called thermoplastic polymers when they are one-dimensional chains that can be melted. The majority of manufactured polymers are thermoplastic, meaning they can be heated and reformed over and over again. This is the property that allows them to be recycled and reused.
What is the difference between plastic and polymer?
Differences between polymer and plastic? The terms polymer and plastic are not the same. Plastic is a specific type of polymer comprised of a long chain of polymers. Polymers, on the other hand, are made up of uniform molecules that are smaller than plastic molecules.
What are biocomposites made of?
There is a big push to develop environmentally friendly polymers using biocomposites (also known as green composites) that are made up of biodegradable polymers including wood-derived polymers and non-wood fibers (straw, bast, leaf, seed, grass).
What are the negatives of plastic?
While plastics have found an important role in our lives, there are several downsides: 1 Made from nonrenewable crude oil resources 2 Give off toxic fumes when burned 3 Non-recyclable materials are difficult to re-purpose and do not decompose in landfills
What is a repeating unit in the chemical structure of natural rubber?
For example, a repeating unit in the chemical structure of natural rubber is isoprene. In the image below, you can see repeating units of isoprene after isoprene is turned into a natural rubber. The chemical structure of natural rubber. Notice repeating units of isoprene.
What is RSP made of?
Made from nonrenewable crude oil resources. Give off toxic fumes when burned. Non-recyclable materials are difficult to re-purpose and do not decompose in landfills. To combat the end-of-use dilemma with this durable material, RSP uses a number of environmentally friendlier techniques.
What is Plastic?
Plastic is a synthetic or naturally occurring polymer that, due to its structure, can be easily molded and shaped under heat and pressure. This property is known as plasticity, hence the name of this material.
What is Plastic Made of?
The majority of plastic in use today is made from hydrocarbons – organic molecules consisting entirely of carbon and hydrogen. These hydrocarbons are derived from materials of biological origin occurring within Earth’s crust, known as fossil fuels.
How is Plastic Made?
This section will cover everything you need to know about the entire plastic-making process, starting from raw material extraction up to its fabrication.
Conclusion
Plastic may be a manmade polymer, but it's mostly created from fossil fuels such as crude oil, natural gas, and coal. This article provides an in-depth explanation of the whole plastic-making process, covering its steps from extraction of raw materials, fossil fuel refinement, and hydrocarbon cracking, to polymerization and fabrication.
The Creation of Polymers
How Do These Chain Links Come Together?
- There are many other components and differences in polymer chains. How do they come together? What process encourages this? There are two main ways polymers are formed. One method is called addition. The second is condensation polymerization.
Understanding Polymer Structure
- Polymers start with a basic chain of bonded links. This bonding is a chemical process. This initial chain of links is often referred to as the backbone. Many polymers will have secondary parts that hold on at various parts of the links. Sometimes, these dangling pieces are just a single atom. Other times, they can be larger groups of atoms. These a...