Properties of Syndiotactic Polystyrene

TOMOAKI TAKEBE, KOMEI YAMASAKIKEISUKE FUNAKIand MICHAEL MALANGA-  

The precise synthesis by homogeneous catalysts created a new polymer, syndiotactic polystyrene (SPS), in 1985. SPS is categorized as an engineering plastic based on its performance. Since the discovery of SPS, many studies have been done to characterize and understand the nature of SPS. In this chapter, the properties of SPS are presented in terms of rheological, mechanical, and electrical properties. 

This section treats the flow behavior of SPS and particularly focuses on the temperature and molecular weight dependencies. The subject of this section is limited to the flow behavior of SPS in the molten state above its melting point. The effects of the tacticity on the rheological behavior in the amorphous state are discussed by comparing SPS with atactic polystyrene (APS) and isotactic polystyrene (IPS). 

A cone and plate rheometer was used in order to measure the complex melt viscosity n (tt)) as a function of frequency (o [1]. Rgure 13.1 illustrates the master curve of t ((0, T) data measured at various temperatures T for SPS using the time-temperature superposition principle [1]. The reference temperature 7 is 290 °C. All the data are converted by shifting the curves to overlap the original 290 °C curve. 

Syndiotactic Polystyrene, Edited by Jurgen Schellenberg Copyright 2010 John Wiley Sons, Ine. 

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PROPERTIES OF SYNDIOTACTIC POLYSTYRENE TABLE 133 Mechanical Properties of Neat Polymers... 

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