Plastics thermal properties

An extensive new Section 10 is devoted to polymers, rubbers, fats, oils, and waxes. A discussion of polymers and rubbers is followed by the formulas and key properties of plastic materials. Eor each member and type of the plastic families there is a tabulation of their physical, electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties and characteristics. A similar treatment is accorded the various types of rubber materials. Chemical resistance and gas permeability constants are also given for rubbers and plastics. The section concludes with various constants of fats, oils, and waxes. 

The industrial value of furfuryl alcohol is a consequence of its low viscosity, high reactivity, and the outstanding chemical, mechanical, and thermal properties of its polymers, corrosion resistance, nonburning, low smoke emission, and exceUent char formation. The reactivity profile of furfuryl alcohol and resins is such that final curing can take place at ambient temperature with strong acids or at elevated temperature with latent acids. Major markets for furfuryl alcohol resins include the production of cores and molds for casting metals, corrosion-resistant fiber-reinforced plastics (FRPs), binders for refractories and corrosion-resistant cements and mortars. 

Moisture. Absorbed and retained moisture, especially as ice, has a significant effect on the stmctural and thermal properties of insulation materials. Most closed-ceU plastic foams have low permeance properties most notably where natural or bonded low permeance surface skins exist (29,30). Design, building, and constmction practices requite adequate vapor retarders, skins, coatings, sealants, etc, in order to prevent the presence of moisture. However, moisture vapor cannot be completely excluded, thus the possibiUty of moisture absorption and retention is always present. The freezing of moisture and mpturing of cells result in permanent reduction of thermal and stmctural performance. 

Polyamides can claim to have been the first engineering plastics as a result of their excellent combination of mechanical and thermal properties. Despite being iatroduced as long ago as the 1930s, these materials have retained their vitaUty and new appHcations, and iadeed new types of nylon continue to be developed. 

Thermal Properties. Thermal properties include heat-deflection temperature (HDT), specific heat, continuous use temperature, thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, and flammability ratings. Heat-deflection temperature is a measure of the minimum temperature that results in a specified deformation of a plastic beam under loads of 1.82 or 0.46 N/mm (264 or 67 psi, respectively). Eor an unreinforced plastic, this is typically ca 20°C below the glass-transition temperature, T, at which the molecular mobility is altered. Sometimes confused with HDT is the UL Thermal Index, which Underwriters Laboratories estabflshed as a safe continuous operation temperature for apparatus made of plastics (37). Typically, UL temperature indexes are significantly lower than HDTs. Specific heat and thermal conductivity relate to insulating properties. The coefficient of thermal expansion is an important component of mold shrinkage and must be considered when designing composite stmctures. 

Principles of the Processing of Plastics 8.2.6 Thermal Properties Affecting Cooling... 

Thermal Properties. Before considering conventional thermal properties such as conductivity it is appropriate to consi r briefly the effect of temperature on the mechanical properties of plastics. It was stated earlier that the properties of plastics are markedly temperature dependent. This is as a result of their molecular structure. Consider first an amorphous plastic in which the molecular chains have a random configuration. Inside the material, even though it is not possible to view them, we loiow that the molecules are in a state of continual motion. As the material is heated up the molecules receive more energy and there is an increase in their relative movement. This makes the material more flexible. Conversely if the material is cooled down then molecular mobility decreases and the material becomes stiffer. 

The other principal thermal properties of plastics which are relevant to design are thermal conductivity and coefficient of thermal expansion. Compared with most materials, plastics offer very low values of thermal conductivity, particularly if they are foamed. Fig. 1.10 shows comparisons between the thermal conductivity of a selection of metals, plastics and building materials. In contrast to their low conductivity, plastics have high coefficients of expansion when compared with metals. This is illustrated in Fig. 1.11 and Table 1.8 gives fuller information on the thermal properties of pl tics and metals. 

Figure 5-6 and Tables 5-3 to 5-5 provide an introductory guide to the different thermal properties of plastics. Heat resistance properties of plastics retaining 50% of properties obtainable at room temperature with plastic exposure and testing at elevated temperatures are shown in Fig. 5-6 for the general family or group type. 

Fig. 6-14 specific modulus = modulus/density. Plastics include use of the heat-resistant TPs such as the polimides, polyamide-imide, and others. Table 6-21 provides data on the thermal properties of RPs. To date at least 80 wt % are glass fiber and about 60 wt% of those are polyester (TS) type RPs. 

All these thermal properties relate to how to determine the best useful processing conditions to meet product performance requirements. There is a maximum temperature or, to be more precise, a maximum time-to-temperature relationship for all materials preceding loss of performance or decomposition. Figure 7-13 provides a temperature guide for continuous heating of plastics. 

A plastic s thermal properties, particularly its Tg, influence its processability in many different ways. The selection of a plastic should take this behavior into account. The operating temperature of a TP is usually limited to below its Tg. A more expensive plastic could cost less to process because of its lower Tg that results in a shorter processing time, requiring less energy for a particular weight, etc. 

Dimensional stability is an important thermal property for the majority of plastics. It is the temperature above which plastics lose their dimensional stability. For most plastics the main determinant of dimensional stability is their Tg. Only with highly crystalline plastics is Tg not a limitation. 

POLYMAT materials data for plastics POLYMAT Materials Data for Plastics contains property values, e.g. mechanical, thermal, electrical, optical, rheological properties and text fields, e.g. special... 

Thermoplastic xylan derivatives have been prepared by in-hne modification with propylene oxide of the xylan present in the alkaline extract of barley husks [424,425]. Following peracetylation of the hydroxypropylated xylan in formamide solution yielded the water-insoluble acetoxypropyl xylan. The thermal properties of the derivative quahfy this material as a potential biodegradable and thermoplastic additive to melt-processed plastics. Xylan from oat spelts was oxidized to 2,3-dicarboxyhc derivatives in a two-step procedure using HI04/NaC102 as oxidants [426]. 

Ljungberg, N. and Wesslen, B. 2002. The effects of plasticizers on the dynamic mechanical and thermal properties of polyjlactic add). Journal of Applied Polymer Science 86 1227-1234. 

The thermal properties of C3 materials at high temperatures are most remarkable if protected from oxidation. This issue is discussed below in more detail. If they are not oxidized, the C3 materials exhibit similar stability data as ceramics [22], in particular at temperatures above 1500 K where protective coatings applied behave like a plastic and close developing surface cracks against air attack. C3 materials expose the advantages of their hierarchical structure being present in both filler and binder phase and develop wood-like properties under ambient conditions. A descriptive pa-... 

Table 4 gives details of some relevant physical and thermal properties of a range of common explosives that have been encountered in terrorist bombs. It should be noted that DMNB (2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane) is one of the taggants added to plastic explosives under the Montreal Convention on marking of plastic explosives. Dinitrotoluenes are frequently added to blasting gelatine as a minor component and are also found in TNT as a significant impurity. 

Since the discovery of Teflon by Roy Plunkett in 1937 a number of fluorinated plastics have reached commercial status. These plastics, exemplified by polytetrafluoroethylene (PIPE), have outstanding electrical, chemical, and thermal properties. AU these commercial materials are either crystaUine or semicrystalline. Teflon AF is a family of amorphous copolymers that retain the desirable electrical, chemical, and thermal properties of semicrystalline fluorinated plastics and also have such properties associated with amorphous materials as optical clarity, improved physical properties, and solubility in selected fluorinated solvents. 

Tabla III. Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Cast Plasticized Polycarbonate Films... 

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