Polyesters standard

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. 

Standard polyester fibers contain no reactive dye sites. PET fibers are typically dyed by diffusiag dispersed dyestuffs iato the amorphous regions ia the fibers. Copolyesters from a variety of copolymeri2able glycol or diacid comonomers open the fiber stmcture to achieve deep dyeabiHty (7,28—30). This approach is useful when the attendant effects on the copolyester thermal or physical properties are not of concern (31,32). The addition of anionic sites to polyester usiag sodium dimethyl 5-sulfoisophthalate [3965-55-7] has been practiced to make fibers receptive to cationic dyes (33). Yams and fabrics made from mixtures of disperse and cationicaHy dyeable PET show a visual range from subde heather tones to striking contrasts (see Dyes, application and evaluation). 

Regulatory Legislation. In Febmary 1978, the Consumer Products Safety Commission approved changes in the FF-3 and FF-5 standards for children s sleepwear. It eliminated the melt—drip time limit and coverage for sizes below 1 and revised the method of testing the trim. This permits the use of untreated 100% nylon and 100% polyester for children s sleepwear (157—162). 

Like terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid is used as a raw material in the production of polyesters. Much of the isophthaUc acid is used for unsaturated polyesters, whereas terephthaUc acid is used almost exclusively in saturated (thermoplastic) polyesters. However, a considerable amount of isophthaUc acid is used as a minor comonomer in saturated polyesters, where the principal diacid is terephthaUc acid. The production volume of isophthaUc acid is less than 2% that of terephthahc. IsophthaUc acid was formerly produced in technical or cmde grades and only a small amount was purified. Now, however, it is all purified to a standard similar to that of terephthahc acid. 

Table 7. Standard Test Methods for Polyester Resins and Compounds...

A variety of thermosetting resins are used in SMC. Polyesters represent the most volume and are available in systems that provide low shrinkage and low surface profile by means of special additives. Class A automotive surface requirements have resulted in the development of sophisticated systems that commercially produce auto body panels that can be taken direcdy from the mold and processed through standard automotive painting systems, without additional surface finishing. Vinyl ester and epoxy resins (qv) are also used in SMC for more stmcturaHy demanding appHcations. 

Standard Test Methods for Tire Yarns, Cords, and Woven Fabrics. ASTM standard D885M-94 includes test methods for characterizing tire cord twist, break strength, elongation at break, modulus, tenacity, work-to-break, toughness, stiffness, growth, and dip pickup for industrial filament yams made from organic base fibers, cords twisted from such yams, and fabrics woven from these cords that are produced specifically for use in the manufacture of pneumatic tires. These test methods apply to nylon, polyester, rayon, and aramid yams, tire cords, and woven fabrics. 

Transfer of Disperse Dye on Polyester. A specimen of dyed polyester is placed in a standard dyebath with an equal weight of undyed polyester and the dyeing cycle completed. The rate of transfer from dyed to undyed fabric is compared to that obtained with a range of five standard dyes and the dye under test is given the same number as the dye it most closely resembles. 

Transfer of Basic Dyes on Acrylics. This test is identical in concept to the transfer of disperse dye on polyester except that basic dyes, acryhc fiber, and a standard dyebath for dyeing acryflc is used. 

Dispersion Stability of Disperse Dyes at High Temperature. A disperse dye dyebath is treated under the desired test conditions at 130°C in a special apparatus (Gaston County Lab Dye and Chemical Tester) and filtered through cotton and polyester filters. The filter with the heaviest residue is then compared with a series of standard photographs of standard performance and rated equal to the one it most resembles (1 poor, 5 excellent). 

Polycarbonate (PC) Resins. Polycarbonates (qv) based on bisphenol A are sold in large quantities. Other bisphenols can be incorporated, but do not give the same favorable combination of properties and cost (82). Small quantities of PC based on tetramethylbisphenol A are used as blending resins (83) and polyester carbonate copolymers are used for appHcations requiring heat-deflection temperatures above those of standard PC resins (47). 

Polyester C rbon te Copolymers. Polyester carbonate resins have molecular stmctures composed of iso- and terephthalate units in conjunction with the standard bisphenol A PC moieties. 

A convenient method of compositional designation uses molar percentages of ester and carbonate linkages coupled with the molar percentages of iso- and terephthalate units in the polymer. A 70% ester, 30% carbonate polyester carbonate with 60 parts of isophthalate and 40 parts of terephthalate is designated 70(60/40)30. Similarly, a standard PC resin is 0(0/0)100, and a polyarjlate resin composed of a 1 1 molar ratio of iso- to terephthalate units esterfied with bisphenol A is designated 100(50/50)0. 

Polyester carbonate resins are made by the interfacial process described for standard PC resins. The phthalate units are introduced by reaction of the appropriate phthaloyl dichlorides concurrent with the phosgenation. At present, Bayer, GE, and Miles produce polyester carbonate resins (47) sales volume is low, probably ca 100 t/yr. Polyester carbonates are used primarily in appHcations requiring 5—25°C higher heat-deflection temperature and better hydrolytic performance than are provided by standard PC resins. Properties are given in Table 9. 

Glass-reinforced polyester is the most widely used reinforced-resin system. A wide choice of polyester resins is available. The bisphenol resins resist strong acids as well as alkahne solutions. The size range is 2 through 12 in the temperature range is shown in Table 10-17. Diameters are not standardized. Adhesive-cemented socket joints and hand-lay-up reinforced butt joints are used. For the latter, reinforcement consists of layers of glass cloth saturated with adhesive cement. 

A number of cement materials are used with brick. Standard are phenolic and furan resins, polyesters, sulfur, silicate, and epoxy-based materials. Carbon-filled polyesters and furanes are good against nonoxidizing acids, salts, and solvents. Silica-filled resins should not be used against hydrofluoric or fluosihcic acids. Sulfur-based cements are limited to 93°C (200°F), while resins can be used to about 180°C (350°F). The sodium silicate-based cements are good against acids to 400°C (750°F). 

As the author pointed out in the first edition of this book, the likelihood of discovering new important general purpose materials was remote but special purpose materials could be expected to continue to be introduced. To date this prediction has proved correct and the 1960s saw the introduction of the polysulphones, the PPO-type materials, aromatic polyesters and polyamides, the ionomers and so on. In the 1970s the new plastics were even more specialised in their uses. On the other hand in the related fields of rubbers and fibres important new materials appeared, such as the aramid fibres and the various thermoplastic rubbers. Indeed the division between rubbers and plastics became more difficult to draw, with rubbery materials being handled on standard thermoplastics-processing equipment. 

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. 

Certain polymers have come to be considered standard building blocks of the polyblends. For example, impact strength may be improved by using polycarbonate, ABS and polyurethanes. Heat resistance is improved by using polyphenylene oxide, polysulphone, PVC, polyester (PET and PBT) and acrylic. Barrier properties are improved by using plastics such as ethylene vinyl alchol (EVA). Some modem plastic alloys and their main characteristics are given in Table 1.2. 

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