Polymer freezing

In addition to improved cold impact resistance, heat sag and resilience, this polymer freezes off rapidly on injection molding and does not shrink excessively. 

Confirmation of this idea comes from the observation that the natural draw ratio observed for melt-spun fibres is sensitive to the degree of molecular orientation introduced during the spinning process. It appears that the molecular network is formed as the polymer freezes from the melt, is subsequently stretched in the rubber-like state before the polymer cools below Tg and is eventually collected as a frozen stretched rubber. The amount of stretching in the threadline can be measured by shrinking these spun fibres back to a state of zero strain, i.e. isotropy. These results then can be combined with measurements of the natural draw ratio to give the limiting extensibility of the network [33]. 

Cellulose nitrate and cellulose acetate (CA) were among the first asymmetric, reverse osmosis membranes to be produced [121]. Plummer et al. [122] described 13 specimen preparation methods for observation of CA membrane structures. They pointed out the lack of contrast in epoxy embedded sections and that one of the best stains, osmium tetroxide, reacts with the polymer. Freeze fractured membranes were found by these authors to be of questionable value. In our experience, if care is taken, SEM study of fractured membranes can provide an informative view of the structure even though some structures collapse, and their sizes cannot be accurately determined. A method found acceptable was ultrathin sectioning of gelatin embedded wet membranes (TEM). The structure of CA membranes was shown by replication [123] and SEM [124]. 

First-Order Transition Temperature m The temperature at which a polymer freezes or melts. 

Experimentally, tire hard-sphere phase transition was observed using non-aqueous polymer lattices [79, 80]. Samples are prepared, brought into the fluid state by tumbling and tlien left to stand. Depending on particle size and concentration, colloidal crystals tlien fonn on a time scale from minutes to days. Experimentally, tliere is always some uncertainty in the actual volume fraction. Often tire concentrations are tlierefore rescaled so freezing occurs at ( )p = 0.49. The widtli of tire coexistence region agrees well witli simulations [Jd, 80]. 

Dissolve 2 ml. of acetaldehyde in 5 ml. of dry ether, cool in a freezing mixture of ice and salt, and pass in dry hydrogen chloride gas for 30-60 seconds. The solid polymer, metaldehyde, may separate in a short time, otherwise cork the tube and allow it to stand for 10-15 minutes. Filter ofiF the crystals. 

These monomers provide a means for introducing carboxyl groups into copolymers. In copolymers these acids can improve adhesion properties, improve freeze-thaw and mechanical stability of polymer dispersions, provide stability in alkalies (including ammonia), increase resistance to attack by oils, and provide reactive centers for cross-linking by divalent metal ions, diamines, or epoxides. 

Three generations of latices as characterized by the type of surfactant used in manufacture have been defined (53). The first generation includes latices made with conventional (/) anionic surfactants like fatty acid soaps, alkyl carboxylates, alkyl sulfates, and alkyl sulfonates (54) (2) nonionic surfactants like poly(ethylene oxide) or poly(vinyl alcohol) used to improve freeze—thaw and shear stabiUty and (J) cationic surfactants like amines, nitriles, and other nitrogen bases, rarely used because of incompatibiUty problems. Portiand cement latex modifiers are one example where cationic surfactants are used. Anionic surfactants yield smaller particles than nonionic surfactants (55). Often a combination of anionic surfactants or anionic and nonionic surfactants are used to provide improved stabiUty. The stabilizing abiUty of anionic fatty acid soaps diminishes at lower pH as the soaps revert to their acids. First-generation latices also suffer from the presence of soap on the polymer particles at the end of the polymerization. Steam and vacuum stripping methods are often used to remove the soap and unreacted monomer from the final product (56). 

Additionally, mechanical (primarily shear), freeze—thaw, and thermal stabiHty the tendency to form sediment on long-term standing and compatibiHty with other dispersions, salts, surfactants, and pigments of acryHc dispersions are often evaluated. Details on the determination of the properties of emulsion polymers are available (60). 

Gelation. A sol becomes a gel when it can support a stress elasticaUy, defined as the gelation poiat or gelation time, C A sharp iucrease ia viscosity accompanies gelation. A sol freezes ia a particular polymer stmcture at the gel poiat (27). This frozen-ia stmcture may change appreciably with... 

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