Other Thermoplastics

Most of the polymer s characteristics stem from its molecular stmcture, which like POE, promotes solubiUty in a variety of solvents in addition to water. It exhibits Newtonian rheology and is mechanically stable relative to other thermoplastics. It also forms miscible blends with a variety of other polymers. The water solubiUty and hot meltable characteristics promote adhesion in a number of appHcations. PEOX has been observed to promote adhesion comparable with PVP and PVA on aluminum foil, cellophane, nylon, poly(methyl methacrylate), and poly(ethylene terephthalate), and in composite systems improved tensile strength and Izod impact properties have been noted. 

Usage of phosphoms-based flame retardants for 1994 in the United States has been projected to be 150 million (168). The largest volume use maybe in plasticized vinyl. Other use areas for phosphoms flame retardants are flexible urethane foams, polyester resins and other thermoset resins, adhesives, textiles, polycarbonate—ABS blends, and some other thermoplastics. Development efforts are well advanced to find appHcations for phosphoms flame retardants, especially ammonium polyphosphate combinations, in polyolefins, and red phosphoms in nylons. Interest is strong in finding phosphoms-based alternatives to those halogen-containing systems which have encountered environmental opposition, especially in Europe. 

Like other thermoplastics, they exhibit melt fracture (32) above certain critical shear rates. In extmsion, many variables control product quaUty and performance (33). 

Extrusion. Like other thermoplastics. Teflon PEA resin exhibits melt fracture above certain critical shear rates. Eor example, samples at 372°C and 5-kg load show the following behavior ... 

Because high oxygen-barrier plastics are incompatible with other thermoplastics, extmdable adhesives must be extmded between the layers. Scrap can be included within the multilayer stmcture, provided an extmdable adhesive is incorporated. 

It is axiomatic that sales analysis depends on detailed records of sales of a specific chemical to a specific company. Paramount to the success of such studies is the existence of data recorded on a systematic and continuous basis. It follows that these studies are done best by an ia-house staff on products already produced by the company. However, on occasion, a product new to the company can be studied by the ia-house group with the assistance of their field sales force. For example, a producer of polypropylene could use its people to secure data on the consumption of other thermoplastics by their customers. Such an exercise might identify opportunities for a new producer, but a more detailed marketing research study would probably be done before entry iato the new product area was made. 

Thermoforming and Extrusion. Improved equipment and polymers have increased the capabiUty to extmde and thermoform polypropylene however, consumption of polypropylene in these areas has not grown dramatically. Drinking straws are commonly extmded from polypropylene, however most larger diameter tubes, such as pipes and conduits, are predominantly extmded from other thermoplastics. Extmded sheet is thermoformed into food containers and trays polypropylene is used when microwavabiUty is desired. 

Noncrystalline aromatic polycarbonates (qv) and polyesters (polyarylates) and alloys of polycarbonate with other thermoplastics are considered elsewhere, as are aHphatic polyesters derived from natural or biological sources such as poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), poly(glycoHde), or poly(lactide) these, too, are separately covered (see Polymers, environmentally degradable Sutures). Thermoplastic elastomers derived from poly(ester—ether) block copolymers such as PBT/PTMEG-T [82662-36-0] and known by commercial names such as Hytrel and Riteflex are included here in the section on poly(butylene terephthalate). Specific polymers are dealt with largely in order of volume, which puts PET first by virtue of its enormous market volume in bottie resin. 

Polysulfones are easily processible by other thermoplastic fabrication techniques, including extmsion, thermoforming, and blow mol ding. Extmsion... 

Starch is made thermoplastic at elevated temperatures ia the presence of water as a plasticizer, aHowiag melt processiag alone or ia blends with other thermoplastics (192—194). Good solvents such as water lower the melt-transition temperature of amylose, the crystalline component of starch, so that processiag can be done well below the decomposition—degradation temperature. 

Other thermoplastic elastomer combiaations, ia which the elastomer phase may or may not be cross-linked, include blends of polypropylene with nitrile (30,31), butyl (33), and natural (34) mbbers, blends of PVC with nitrile mbber (35,36), and blends of halogenated polyolefins with ethylene interpolymers (29). Collectively, thermoplastic elastomers of this type ate referred to herein as hard polymer/elastomer combinations. Some of the more important examples of the various types are shown in Table 3. 

Blend of other thermoplastic elastomers with siUcone mbbers. 

Materials which reduce the friction of mouldings and other finished products when these are rubbed against adjacent materials which may or may not be of the same composition. The most well-known examples here are graphite and molybdenum disulphide used in quantities of the order of 1-2% in nylons and other thermoplastics used in gear and bearing applications. 

As indicated in the previous section poly(methyl methacrylate) is a hard, rigid, transparent material. Commercial grades have extremely good weathering resistance compared with other thermoplastics. 

Figure 15.11. Viscosity-temperature curves for poly(methyl methacrylate) and other thermoplastics. (Reproduced by permission of ICI)...

Table 15.4 illustrates that though the nitrile resins had a gas permeability much higher than has poly(acrylonitrile) the figures for oxygen and carbon dioxide are much lower than for other thermoplastics used for packaging. 

In common with other thermoplastic melts polystyrene exhibits pseudoplastic behaviour. At shearing stresses below 60/M,J, MPa (where = average molecular weight), the ratio of shear stress to shear rate is almost constant and the melt is substantially Newtonian. Above this shear stress non-Newtonian... 

Because of its high stability, the processing window (range of processing conditions) is wider than for many other thermoplastics. The main points to bear in mind are ... 

Today about 75% of the market is held by General Electric and Bayer with their products Lexan and Makrolon respectively. Other manufacturers are ANIC (Italy), Taijin Chemical Co., Mitsubishi Edogawa and Idemitsu Kasei in Japan and, since 1985, Dow (USA) and Policarbonatos do Brasil (Brazil). Whilst this market is dominated by bis-phenol A polycarbonates, recent important developments include alloys with other thermoplastics, polyester carbonates and silicone-polycarbonate block copolymers. 

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