Polymerisation polyester

Polymerisation of a diol with a dicarboxybe acid is exemplified by the production of a polyester from ethylene glycol and terephthabc acid either by direct esterification or by a catalysed ester-interchange reaction. The resulting polyester (Terylene) is used for the manufacture of fibres and fabrics, and has high tensile strength and resibency its structure is probably ... 

Polyesters were initially discovered and evaluated ia 1929 by W. H. Carothers, who used linear aliphatic polyester materials to develop the fundamental understanding of condensation polymerisation, study the reaction kinetics, and demonstrate that high molecular weight materials were obtainable and could be melt-spun iato fibers (1 5). 

Organic peroxides are used in the polymer industry as thermal sources of free radicals. They are used primarily to initiate the polymerisation and copolymerisation of vinyl and diene monomers, eg, ethylene, vinyl chloride, styrene, acryUc acid and esters, methacrylic acid and esters, vinyl acetate, acrylonitrile, and butadiene (see Initiators). They ate also used to cute or cross-link resins, eg, unsaturated polyester—styrene blends, thermoplastics such as polyethylene, elastomers such as ethylene—propylene copolymers and terpolymers and ethylene—vinyl acetate copolymer, and mbbets such as siUcone mbbet and styrene-butadiene mbbet. 

DADC may be polymerised industrially with small amounts of other miscible Hquid monomers. Some acryflc ester monomers and maleic anhydride may accelerate polymerisation. Copolymerisation with methacrylates, diaHyl phthalates, triaHyl isocyanurate, maleates, maleimides, and unsaturated polyesters are among the examples in the early Hterature. Copolymers of DADC with poly-functional unsaturated esters give castings of high clarity for eyeglass lenses and other optical appHcations (20). 

The thermoplastic or thermoset nature of the resin in the colorant—resin matrix is also important. For thermoplastics, the polymerisation reaction is completed, the materials are processed at or close to their melting points, and scrap may be reground and remolded, eg, polyethylene, propjiene, poly(vinyl chloride), acetal resins (qv), acryhcs, ABS, nylons, ceUulosics, and polystyrene (see Olefin polymers Vinyl polymers Acrylic ester polymers Polyamides Cellulose ESTERS Styrene polymers). In the case of thermoset resins, the chemical reaction is only partially complete when the colorants are added and is concluded when the resin is molded. The result is a nonmeltable cross-linked resin that caimot be reworked, eg, epoxy resins (qv), urea—formaldehyde, melamine—formaldehyde, phenoHcs, and thermoset polyesters (qv) (see Amino resins and plastics Phenolic resins). 

An alternative technique is that of condensation polymerisation. A simple example of this is seen in the manufacture of linear polyesters. Here a dibasic acid is reacted with a dihydroxy compound, e.g. a glycol (Figure 2.5). 

An alternative route to cross-linking is to start with a linear polymer and then cross-link the molecules by tying the molecule through some reactive group. For example, it is possible to cross-link unsaturated polyesters by an addition polymerisation across the double bond as shown schematically in Figure 2.12. 

In addition to the polymers, copolymers and alloys already discussed, styrene and its derivatives have been used for the polymerisation of a wide range of polymers and copolymers. Two of the more important applications of styrene, in SBR and in polyester laminating resins, are dealt with in Chapters 11 and 25 respectively. 

Cobalt naphthenate is generally supplied in solution in styrene, the solution commonly having a cobalt concentration of 0.5-1.0%. The cobalt solution is normally used in quantities of 0.5-4.0% based on the polyester. The accelerator solution is rather unstable as the styrene will tend to polymerise and thus although the accelerator may be metered from burettes, the latter will block up unless frequently cleaned. Cobalt naphthenate solutions in white spirit and dimethyl phthalate have proved unsatisfactory. In the first case dispersion is difficult and laminates remain highly coloured whilst with the latter inferior end-products are obtained and the solution is unstable. Stable solutions of cobalt octoate in dimethyl phthalate are possible and these are often preferred because they impart less colour to the laminate. 

This particular polymer is a fibre-forming material (Perlon U). Although in many respects this reaction resembles the formation of polyesters and polyamides it is not a condensation reaction but involves a transfer of hydrogen atoms and thus may be considered as an example of rearrangement polymerisation. 

One variation in polyester intermediates that has roused some interest are those prepared by a ring-opening polymerisation of e-caprolactone and methyl-e-caprolactones with titanium catalysts and diol and triol initiators Figure 27.6). 

The basic RIM process is illustrated in Fig. 4.47. A range of plastics lend themselves to the type of fast polymerisation reaction which is required in this process - polyesters, epoxies, nylons and vinyl monomers. However, by far the most commonly used material is polyurethane. The components A and B are an isocyanate and a polyol and these are kept circulating in their separate systems until an injection shot is required. At this point the two reactants are brought together in the mixing head and injected into the mould. 

Polyester/ polyisocyanate blends Air drying or stoving Addition polymerisation Blends rich in ketones and esters Alcohols excluded Fairly good Good Fairly good Very good Very good Finishes need to be supplied in two separate containers and mixed just prior to use... 

This is a linear polyester containing phthalic anhydride to ensure hydrocarbon solubility and maleic anhydride to enable copolymerisation to take place, esterified with 2-propanediol. The ester is dissolved in styrene which initially acts as the solvent and subsequently as film former when it is copolymerised with the double bond in the ester by free radical induced polymerisation. 

Unsaturated polyester finishes of this type do not need to be stoved to effect crosslinking, but will cure at room temperature once a suitable peroxide initiator cobalt salt activator are added. The system then has a finite pot life and needs to be applied soon after mixing. Such a system is an example of a two-pack system. That is the finish is supplied in two packages to be mixed shortly before use, with obvious limitations. However, polymerisation can also be induced by ultra violet radiation or electron beam exposure when polymerisation occurs almost instantaneously. These techniques are used widely in packaging, particularly cans, for which many other unsaturated polymers, such as unsaturated acrylic resins have been devised. 

Another classification system, first suggested by Carothers in 1929, is based on the nature of the chemical reactions employed in the polymerisation. Here the two major groups are the condensation and the addition polymers. Condensation polymers are those prepared from monomers where reaction is accompanied by the loss of a small molecule, usually of water, for example polyesters which are formed by the condensation shown in Reaction 1.1. 

The factors which influence pre-gel intramolecular reaction in random polymerisations are shown to influence strongly the moduli of the networks formed at complete reaction. For the polyurethane and polyester networks studied, the moduli are always lower than those expected for no pre-gel intramolecular reaction, indicating the importance of such reaction in determining the number of elastically ineffective loops in the networks. In the limit of the ideal gel point, perfect networks are predicted to be formed. Perfect networks are not realised with bulk reaction systems. At a given extent of pre-gel intramolecular... 

Aromatic polyesters were particularly good candidates for this new field of thermotropic main-chain polymers, since the relatively low energy of association of the ester groups led to low inter-chain forces. Further research led to the discovery that incorporation of 2,6-naphthylene or of 4,4 -biphenylyl groups, in addition to p-phenylene groups, as components of aromatic polyesters, introduced a useful new degree of randomness. Particularly useful, and the basis of the commercial products Vectra (polymer) and Vectran (fibre) from Hoechst-Celanese and Kuraray, are the copolymers formed by polymerisation of mixtures of p-acetoxybenzoic acid and 6-acetoxy-2-naphthoic acid. Within a range of... 

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