Polycarbonate, comparative

Properties of polycarbonates compared with some thermoplastics ... 

Person 1 Tungsten (W) Person 2 Tungsten carbide (WC) Person 3 Polycarbonate Compare your answers. Assuming that all samples have the same geometry (cross-sectional area), which of the three wiU require the greatest load to achieve this amount of strain ... 

Figure 7-9. TSC results for polycarbonate compared with NMR line width and dynamic mechanical (DMTA) measurements. [TSC data from Y. Aoki and J. O. Brittain, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., Polym. Phys. Ed. 15, 199 (1977) Copyright 1977 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc., a Wiley Company NMR data from S. Matsuoka and Y. Ishida, in Transitions and Relaxations in Polymers, Polym. Symp. No. 14, 247 (1966). Copyright 1966 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc., a Wiley Company DMTA data from K. Illers and H. Breuer, Kolloid Z. 176, 110 (1961), by Springer-Verlag, 1961. With kind permission of Springer Science and Business Media.]...

Figure 5.307 shows that the stress-cracking resistance of polycarbonate compared to poly-a-oleflns (PAO) depends strongly on the viscosity of the poly-a-olefins. The higher the PAO viscosity, the lower is the tendency to stress-crack formation. 

As with polyesters, the amidation reaction of acid chlorides may be carried out in solution because of the enhanced reactivity of acid chlorides compared with carboxylic acids. A technique known as interfacial polymerization has been employed for the formation of polyamides and other step-growth polymers, including polyesters, polyurethanes, and polycarbonates. In this method the polymerization is carried out at the interface between two immiscible solutions, one of which contains one of the dissolved reactants, while the second monomer is dissolved in the other. Figure 5.7 shows a polyamide film forming at the interface between an aqueous solution of a diamine layered on a solution of a diacid chloride in an organic solvent. In this form interfacial polymerization is part of the standard repertoire of chemical demonstrations. It is sometimes called the nylon rope trick because of the filament of nylon produced by withdrawing the collapsed film. 

The abihty of organically modified ceramics based on alumina, zkconia, titania, or siUca (and mixtures of each) to function as abrasion-resistant coatings has also been studied (62). Eor example, polycarbonate, when coated with an epoxy—aluminosihcate system, experiences a significant reduction in the degree of hazing induced by an abrader, as compared to uncoated polycarbonate. 

Polycarbonates are an unusual and extremely useful class of polymers. The vast majority of polycarbonates are based on bisphenol A [80-05-7] (BPA) and sold under the trade names Lexan (GE), Makrolon (Bayer), CaUbre (Dow), and Panlite (Idemitsu). BPA polycarbonates [25037-45-0] having glass-transition temperatures in the range of 145—155°C, are widely regarded for optical clarity and exceptional impact resistance and ductiUty at room temperature and below. Other properties, such as modulus, dielectric strength, or tensile strength are comparable to other amorphous thermoplastics at similar temperatures below their respective glass-transition temperatures, T. Whereas below their Ts most amorphous polymers are stiff and britde, polycarbonates retain their ductiUty. 

Glass-Transition Temperature and Melt Behavior. The T of BPA polycarbonate is around 150°C, which is unusually high compared... 

In a molded polymer blend, the surface morphology results from variations in composition between the surface and the bulk. Static SIMS was used to semiquan-titatively provide information on the surface chemistry on a polycarbonate (PC)/polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) blend. Samples of pure PC, pure PBT, and PC/PBT blends of known composition were prepared and analyzed using static SIMS. Fn ment peaks characteristic of the PC and PBT materials were identified. By measuring the SIMS intensities of these characteristic peaks from the PC/PBT blends, a typical working curve between secondary ion intensity and polymer blend composition was determined. A static SIMS analysis of the extruded surface of a blended polymer was performed. The peak intensities could then be compared with the known samples in the working curve to provide information about the relative amounts of PC and PBT on the actual surface. 

The melt viscosity of a polymer at a given temperature is a measure of the rate at which chains can move relative to each other. This will be controlled by the ease of rotation about the backbone bonds, i.e. the chain flexibility, and on the degree of entanglement. Because of their low chain flexibility, polymers such as polytetrafluoroethylene, the aromatic polyimides, the aromatic polycarbonates and to a less extent poly(vinyl chloride) and poly(methyl methacrylate) are highly viscous in their melting range as compared with polyethylene and polystyrene. 

Residual traces of these impurities must thus be removed by some technique such as recrystallisation from chlorobenzene or acqueous alcohol. The melting point is a useful measure of purity and for polycarbonate resins the melting point should be in the range 154-157°C compared with values of 140-150°C for epoxy resin grade bis-phenol A. 

A more recent development of interest with this material is that scratch-resistant coatings may be stoved on at temperatures not feasible with conventional bisphenol A polycarbonates to give products with a scratch resistance comparable to glass. 

Comparatively little information is available concerning the use of additives in commercial grades of polycarbonate. Pigments, heat and ultraviolet stabilisers, blowing agents and fire retardants are used but the range of materials available... 

The chemical resistance of polyester materials is well recognised to be limited because of the comparative ease of hydrolysis of the ester groups. Whereas this ease of hydrolysis was also observed in aliphatic polycarbonates produced by... 

Polycarbonates based on tetramethylbisphenol A are thermally stable and have a high Vicat softening point of 196°C. On the other hand they have lower impact and notched impact resistance than the normal polymer. Blends with styrene-based polymers were introduced in 1980, and compared with PC/ABS blends, are claimed to have improved hydrolytic resistance, lower density and higher heat deflection temperatures. Suggested applications are as dishes for microwave ovens and car headlamp reflectors. 

Further variations in the polycarbonate system may be achieved by copolymerisation. The reduced regularity of copolymers compared with the parent homopolymers would normally lead to amorphous materials. Since, however, the common diphenylol alkanes are identical in length they can be interchanged with each other in the unit cell, providing the side groups do not differ greatly in their bulkiness. 

The polymer structure bears a clear resemblance to that of the polycarbonate of bis-phenol A and of the polysulphones so that there are a number of similarities between the materials. The greatest difference arises from the substantial aliphatic segment, which enhances chain flexibility and hence leads to comparatively low softening points. This has placed severe restrictions on the value of these materials and they have found difficulty in competing with the more successful polycarbonates. 

Low smoke emission (roughly comparable to that of a polycarbonate). Very low coefficient of thermal expansion in the flow direction (0-15 cm/ cm/°C) but correspondingly higher in the transverse direction (27-76 cm/ cm/°C). 

The latter equation contains constants with well-known values and can therefore be used to predict the fracture stress of most polymers. For example, the bond dissociation energy Do, is about 80 kcal/mol for a C-C bond. For polystyrene, the modulus E 2 GPa, A. 4, p = 1.2 g/cm, = 18,000, and we obtain the fracture stress, o A1 MPa, which compares well with reported values. Polycarbonate, with similar modulus but a lower M. = 2,400 is expected to have a fracture stress of about 100 MPa. In general, letting E 1 GPa, p = 1.0 g/cm, and Do — 335 kJ/mol, the tensile strength is well approximated by... 

Polyesters and polycarbonate polyols show improved resistance to oxidative attack, compared with that of the polyethers. Stress relation studies run at 130°C, comparing a urethane based on a poly(oxypropylene) polyol and a urethane based on poly(butane adipate) polyol show that, after 60 h, the urethane based on PPG lost most of its strength, while the polyester retained most of its strength [83], Urethanes made from poly(butadiene) polyols are also susceptible to oxidation, but they show good resistance to air-oven aging with antioxidants present (see p. 290 in [45],... 

Hydrolysis studies compared a polycarbonate urethane with a poly(tetramethyl-ene adipate) urethane and a polyether urethane based on PTMEG. After 2 weeks in 80°C water, the polycarbonate urethane had the best retention of tensile properties [92], Polycarbonates can hydrolyze, although the mechanism of hydrolysis is not acid-catalyzed, as in the case of the polyesters. Polycarbonate polyurethanes have better hydrolysis resistance than do standard adipate polyurethanes, by virtue of the highest retention of tensile properties. It is interesting to note in the study that the PTMEG-based urethanes, renowned for excellent hydrolysis resistance, had lower retention of physical properties than did the polycarbonate urethanes. 

ABS has a specific gravity of 1.03 to 1.06 and a tensile strength in the range of 6 to 7.5 X 10 psi. These polymers are tough plastics with outstanding mechanical properties. A wide variety of ABS modifications are available with heat resistance comparable to or better than polysulfones and polycarbonates (noted later in this section). Another outstanding property of ABS is its ability to be alloyed with other thermoplastics for improved properties. For example, ABS is alloyed with rigid PVC for a product with better flame resistance. 

When use conditions differ from those applied to data sheet tests, certain comparative evaluation can be made. Selecting an established high impact plastic such as polycarbonate as the standard, a tensile test would be made on this material at use speeds of strik-... 

Phosphorus -bromine flame retardant synergy was demonstrated in a 2/1 polycarbonate/polyethylene blend. These data also show phosphorus to be about ten times more effective than bromine in this blend. Brominated phosphates, where both bromine and phosphorus are in the same molecule, were also studied. In at least one case, synergy is further enhanced when both phosphorus and bromine are in the same molecule as compared with a physical blend of a phosphorus and a bromine compound. On a weight basis, phosphorus and bromine in the same molecule are perhaps the most efficient flame retardant combination. The effect of adding an impact modifier was also shown. 

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