What are Polymers and Copolymers?
Polymers are large molecules that are formed of many smaller molecules joined together as sub units, known as monomers. They portray a huge role in society as they tend to make up most plastics used ranging from plastic shopping bags to styrofoam. Polymers can be found naturally an example being DNA the building blocks of life but most usable polymers are man made (American Chemistry Council, n.d). The polymers in plastics widely used by society today are known as homopolymers, as they are the product of two or more identical monomers that have undergone polymerisation. However, here is an alternative form of polymer that is not as widely used called copolymers. Copolymers are constructed when two or more different subunits undergo polymerization linking them to form a larger molecule (PSLC, 2003). This means the polymer is made of different monomers potentially giving it an advantage. Homopolymers dominate society in their uses whereas copolymers tend to be overlooked. This in fact should not be the case as copolymers have just as much relevance and usability if not more than homopolymers. Two types of copolymers will be explored going into depth as to why they are just as useful as homopolymers.
…show more content…
The structure of Styrene-butadiene makes it a more effective polymer over other homopolymer alternatives as it utilises both aspects from butadiene and styrene making it an efficient rubber and latex alternative (Generalpolymers.net, 2017). It rivals the natural polymer of polyisoprene which is the main component of natural rubber and can be seen as easier to produce and use. Due to the addition of styrene it makes the manufacturing costs lower and contributes to good
Fire and thermal properties of PA 66 resin treated with poly-N- aniline- phenyl phosphamide as a flame retardant
3D printing has the potential to revolutionize the way we make almost everything. 3D printing was invented in the mid 1980s and was initially known as additive manufacturing. It consists of the fabrication of products through the use of printers which either employ lasers to burn materials (sintering) or place layer upon layer of material (known as stereolithography), eventually resulting in a finished item. Unlike the traditional manufacturing process, which involves milling, drilling, grinding or forging molded items to make the final product, 3D printing “forms” the product layer by layer. There are many different technological variants but almost every existing, 3D printing machine functions in a similar way: a 3D computer-aided engineering (CAD) file is sliced into a series of 2D planar sections and these are deposited by the printer, one above the other, to construct the part.
Strength In terms of strength the effect the plasticizers have on the polymers is that the additive makes the polymer have a weak intermolecular force. As a result of this the polymers will be unstable an easier to handle. Due to this the polymer then can be remoulded and tougher and this will increase the polymers
Kevlar Aramid Fiber is a synthetic (man-made) material known as a Polymer. A polymer is a chain that is made up of many similar molecular groups, better known as ‘monomers’ that are bonded together. ‘Monomers’ are made up of fourteen Carbon atoms, two Nitrogen atoms, two Oxygen atoms and ten Hydrogen atoms. A single Kevlar polymer chain could possibly have anywhere from one to five million monomers bonded together.
In 1886,Three brothers, Robert Wood Johnson, James Wood Johnson and Edward Mead Johnson, found Johnson & Johnson in New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S.
Prosthetics are used by people that are born without complete limbs and who have had amputations due to war, diseases or accidents to function and be seen as a “whole” by the society. Throughout the years, since the first invention, people have been developing and enhancing limb prosthetics to produce a device that would be functional and aesthetically pleasing for people who have had amputations. There are many materials that have been used to manufacture limb prosthetics, such as wood, copper, and bronze, but nowadays, lighter materials, namely carbon fiber are being used for comfort. Because of prosthetic enhancements, the perceptions of people toward amputees have shifted from negative to positive; people are becoming more appreciative rather than
The plastic obtained from polyethylene can be pressed into varying shapes, ranging from the simplest to the most complicated. The ethylene market is indirectly driven by the increased polyethylene consumption for the production of several plastic components. In 2011, the global propylene market is valued at more than $ 90 billion and significant growth is anticipated in the coming years. Acrylic fibers and coatings, PVC plasticizers and coatings, polyurethane resins, epoxy resins and propylene polymers are applied on polycarbonates and solvents, that are used in the production of propylene. The automotive industry is the biggest end-user of polypropylene. The enormous expansion of ethylene and propylene production will contribute to the growth of the ethylene and propylene market, along with the rising demand for downstream products from India, China, and the Middle East. Tight environmental regulations, fluctuations in raw material prices and political uncertainties in crude oil producing regions are the main factors limiting the ethylene and propylene market [9].
During the 1930’s there were many inventions that were being useful and that they tried to improve them over the time as years gone by. They tried to make more innovative tools, and Richard Drew was one of the few who invented something spectacular; the Scotch Tape and it was one of his first inventions.
...an be seen that composite teeth form a high stability bond than PMMA teeth. This is due to the filler content allowing for low shrinkage, increased wear resistance and better cross-linkage with the base. In overall consensus the technique of heat-curing is believed to achieve significantly more polymer cross-linkage than that of self-curing the acrylic resin PMMA base - giving us a stronger base to teeth interface. It should be noted however that both techniques can be used for denture fabrication to achieve a desired result and it is up to the dentist and the technician to determine which one they prefer however, composite teeth bonded to a heat-cured PMMA base works best. Though the tooth and base by themselves may be strong, if the interface between them is not strong, this will result in the overall denture produced being weak independent of material selection.
According to the American Council of Chemistry, plastics, which are otherwise known as polymers, are comprised of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and other elements that are combined through the conversion of natural products like oil, natural gas, or coal (ACA, n.d.). Between 7 and 8 % of the oil and natural gasses produced annually are used either directly in the conversion of such fossil fuels to plastics, or in powering the processes to produce plastics (Hopewell, Dvorak & Kosior, 2009). Plastic combinations can either form as thermoplastics, which are plastics whose atoms are connected in long chains that can be melted and reused, or thermosets, which are plastics whose atoms are arranged in three dimensional patterns that cannot be melted or reused (ACC, n.d.). Plastics are used in a wide range of products. For example, polyesters are used in textiles and fabrics, polyvinylidene chlorides are used for food packaging, polycarbonates are used for glasses and disks, and more. By the United States energy averages of 2015, each kg of plastic produced requires 62-108 mega joules of energy. The plastic requiring the largest amount of energy per kg is silicon which required about 235 mega joules of energy per kg. Three hundred and twenty two million metric tons of plastic produced in 2015 alone, and that value continues to raise, (Global plastic production,
The synthesis of polymers starts with ethylene, (or ethene). Ethylene is obtained as a by-product of petrol refining from crude oil or by dehydration of ethanol. Ethylene molecules compose of two methylene units (CH2) linked together by a double carbon
The knowledge of thermoplastic elastomers (TP)from blends of NBR and HDPE has occurred as a valuable implement in tai...
Polymer-Polyethylene is partially crystalline as well as amorphous because it has crystalline and amorphous regions. Also it has linear chains so this is the simplest structure compared to a branched or network chain. This can be of an advantage to it over other types of materials as its good toughness and elongation makes it very significant in the engineering industry as it can be moulded or extruded into shape...
Polyethylene is a polymer that is made of a long chain of CH2 monomers bonded together. It is one of the most commonly used polymers in everyday items. Grocery bags, soap bottles, children’s toys, and even bullet proof vests are all made from polyethylene.2 This polymer is very versatile and can be used in many materials but this all depends on the way that the polymer is chemically made or enhanced. There are many different types of polyethylene classified by density and branching. 2
A polymer is a large molecule that is known as an organic compound. Polymers are used in many different ways to form different structures but mostly polymers are used to create various kinds of plastics. A polymer is made from the covalent bonding of smaller repetitive molecules. As seen in figure 1. These repeating molecules are built into chains, and different polymers have varied chain lengths. These smaller molecules which make up the polymer are known as monomers. Through the reaction of polymerization which generally requires a catalyst polymers are formed. Various Polymers are built of different types of monomers, some contain only one type of monomer whereas others can contain up to two or more monomers. These polymers are known as natural polymers, they occur in nature and then are extracted for use. Natural polymers are often water based, examples are silk,