Molecular weight Terms Links

The four regions of behavior shown by the polymers in Fig. 3.9 are fairly typical of high molecular weight un-cross-linked polymers. Let us examine the four regions of behavior, this time in terms of what is happening at the molecular level ... 

The crystallinity of TPs is important for their short term yield strength. Unless the crystallinity is impeded, increased molecular weight generally also increases the yield strength. However, the cross-linking of TSs increases their yield strength substantially but has an adverse effect upon toughness. 

Amino acids become linked by reactions that occur between the amine group of one amino acid and the carboxyl group of another. As shown in Figure 22.23, this polymerization produces a molecule of water and, hence, is a condensation reaction. Naturally occurring polypeptides with molecular weights in excess of 10,000 daltons are termed proteins. These biomolecules are ubiquitous in marine organisms and are not specific to particular species. Proteins are important components of enzymes as well as of structural parts and connective tissues. 

The large scale molecular motions which take place in the rubber plateau and terminal zones of an uncross-linked linear polymer give rise to stress relaxation and thereby energy dissipation. For narrow molecular weight distribution elastomers non-catastrophic rupture of the material is caused by the disentanglement processes which occur in the terminal zone, e.g., by the reptation process. In practical terms it means that the green strength of the elastomer is poor. 

The degree of cross-linking can be expressed in terms of cross-links per gram or per unit volume. If C is the moles of cross-links per unit volume, n the number of network chains per unit volume, d the density of cross-linked polymer, and Me the number-average molecular weight of the polymer segments between cross-links, then... 

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