Chemical resistance also temperature

SAN resins possess many physical properties desked for thermoplastic appHcations. They are characteristically hard, rigid, and dimensionally stable with load bearing capabiHties. They are also transparent, have high heat distortion temperatures, possess exceUent gloss and chemical resistance, and adapt easily to conventional thermoplastic fabrication techniques (7). 

Polyimides (PI) were among the eadiest candidates in the field of thermally stable polymers. In addition to high temperature property retention, these materials also exhibit chemical resistance and relative ease of synthesis and use. This has led to numerous innovations in the chemistry of synthesis and cure mechanisms, stmcture variations, and ultimately products and appHcations. Polyimides (qv) are available as films, fibers, enamels or varnishes, adhesives, matrix resins for composites, and mol ding powders. They are used in numerous commercial and military aircraft as stmctural composites, eg, over a ton of polyimide film is presently used on the NASA shuttle orbiter. Work continues on these materials, including the more recent electronic apphcations. 

Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives. SiHcoae PSAs are used primarily ia specialty tape appHcatioas that require the superior properties of siHcoaes, including resistance to harsh chemical environments and temperature extremes (398,399). SiHcone PSAs are also used ia appHcatioas requiring long service Hfe, electrical iasulatioa, and protection from moisture. Another distinctive advantage of siHcone PSAs is their abiHty to wet low surface energy tape substrates such as PTEE. 

Uses. Hot-pressed hBN is useful for high temperature electric or thermal insulation, vessels, etc, especially in inert or reducing atmospheres, and for special materials such as IITV semiconductors (qv). Its low thermal expansion makes it resistant to thermal shock. The powder can be used as a mold release agent or as thermal insulation. Boron nitride is also available in fiber form (19). BN deposited pyrolyticaHy on refractory substrates at 1200—1800°C has a turbostratic stmcture and low porosity it has greater chemical resistance and is impervious to helium. 

The electrical characteristics of ceramic materials vary gteady, since the atomic processes ate different for the various conduction modes. The transport of current may be because of the motion of electrons, electron holes, or ions. Electrical ceramics ate commonly used in special situations where reftactoriness or chemical resistance ate needed, or where other environmental effects ate severe (see Refractories). Thus it is also important to understand the effects of temperature, chemical additives, gas-phase equilibration, and interfacial reactions. 

These LCT materials have very high tensile and flexural strength, and excellent mechanical and chemical resistance properties. Some commercial LCT are Vectra (Hoechst-Celanese) and Xydar (Amoco). Du Pont, ICI, GE, and Dow Chemical are also suppHers. Their appHcation in electronic embedding is stiU. in its infancy because of the high temperature processing requirement. Nevertheless, this class of thermoplastic polymers will play an important role in electronic embedding. 

Transportation end uses are expected to become a significant outlet. Products under development include an engine valve cover, as are various housings such as those for od pumps, water pumps, starter motors, and certain transmission parts. These end uses employ PPS because it resists high temperatures and is also chemically resistant. Fuel system parts can employ the excellent chemical resistance of PPS, replacing nylon, if alcohol-based fuels are adopted to reduce emissions. 

The outstanding performance characteristics of the resins are conveyed by the bisphenol A moiety (toughness, rigidity, and elevated temperature performance), the ether linkages (chemical resistance), and the hydroxyl and epoxy groups (adhesive properties and formulation latitude, or reactivity with a wide variety of chemical curing agents) (see also Phenolic resins). 

The most chemical-resistant plastic commercially available today is tetrafluoroethylene or TFE (Teflon). This thermoplastic is practically unaffected by all alkahes and acids except fluorine and chlorine gas at elevated temperatures and molten metals. It retains its properties up to 260°C (500°F). Chlorotrifluoroethylene or CTFE (Kel-F, Plaskon) also possesses excellent corrosion resistance to almost all acids and alkalies up to 180°C (350°F). A Teflon derivative has been developed from the copolymerization of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene. This resin, FEP, has similar properties to TFE except that it is not recommended for continuous exposures at temperatures above 200°C (400°F). Also, FEP can be extruded on conventional extrusion equipment, while TFE parts must be made by comphcated powder-metallurgy techniques. Another version is poly-vinylidene fluoride, or PVF2 (Kynar), which has excellent resistance to alkahes and acids to 150°C (300°F). It can be extruded. A more recent development is a copolymer of CTFE and ethylene (Halar). This material has excellent resistance to strong inorganic acids, bases, and salts up to 150°C. It also can be extruded. 

The chemical resistance of the linear polymers is also very good. Resistant to most acids, aqueous bases, hydrocarbons, most halogenated hydrocarbons, alcohols and phenols, they are attacked by concentrated sulphuric acid, formic acid, some amines, benzaldehyde, nitromethane and a few other reagents. They will dissolve in 1-chloronaphthalene at elevated temperatures but in general have excellent solvent resistance. The polymer is cross-linked by air oxidation at elevated temperatures. 

When cured with room temperature curing system these resins have similar thermal stability to ordinary bis-phenol A type epoxides. However, when they are cured with high-temperature hardeners such as methyl nadic anhydride both thermal degradation stability and heat deflection temperatures are considerably improved. Chemical resistance is also markedly improved. Perhaps the most serious limitation of these materials is their high viscosity. 

While several factors determine ESP collection efficiency, ESP size is most important. Size determines treatment time, the longer a particle spends in the ESP, the greater its chance of being collected. Maximizing electric field strength will maximize ESP collection efficiency. Collection efficiency is also affected to some extent by dust resistivity, gas temperature, chemical composition (of the dust and the gas), and particle size distribution. 

As regards the general behaviour of polymers, it is widely recognised that crystalline plastics offer better environmental resistance than amorphous plastics. This is as a direct result of the different structural morphology of these two classes of material (see Appendix A). Therefore engineering plastics which are also crystalline e.g. Nylon 66 are at an immediate advantage because they can offer an attractive combination of load-bearing capability and an inherent chemical resistance. In this respect the arrival of crystalline plastics such as PEEK and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) has set new standards in environmental resistance, albeit at a price. At room temperature there is no known solvent for PPS, and PEEK is only attacked by 98% sulphuric acid. 

A summary of the chemical and abrasion resistances, and approximate operational temperature ranges of elastomers is given in Table 18.16. Further details of specific chemical resistances are given in Table 18.17. The maximum temperature of use will always be dependent on the chemical conditions prevailing. Abrasion resistance can be affected by the chemical environment if the exposed surface properties are changed by adsorption or chemical attack. The rate of material loss by abrasion will also vary according to temperature as the resilience etc. is dependent on prevailing temperature conditions. 

Chlorinated polyether is formulated particularly for products requiring, good chemical resistance. Other materials exhibiting good chemical resistance include all of the fluorocarbon plastics, ethylpentenes, polyolefins, certain phenolics, and diallyl phtha-late compounds. Additives such as fillers, plasticizers, stabilizers, colorants, and type catalysts can decrease the chemical resistance of unfilled plastics. Certain chemicals in cosmetics will affect plastics, and tests are necessary in most cases with new formulations. Temperature condition is also very important to include in the evaluation. Careful tests must be made under actual use conditions in final selection studies. 

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