Reflectance Characteristics Polymers

Synthetic polymers containing photochromic units can undergo reversible changes of their physical and chemical characteristics. (For recent reviews, see Refs. 24-26). Recent examples involving photochromic compounds other than spiropyrans are reported in Refs. 27-31. Spiropyran-containing polymers such as polyacrylates have also been prepared and were found to show photoinduced variations of their viscosity.18- 0 The change in the viscosity of the polymers partly reflects the polymer conformation. Thus, spiropyran-attached poly(L-tyro-sine) and poly(L-lysine) were synthesized by Vandewyer and Smets at the University of Louvain in 1970.32 33 No photoresponsiveness was observed however, for these modified peptides. 

As was mentioned in the introduction, optical properties of a pol5oner are determined by the complex combination of its basic scattering, transmission and reflection characteristics, but they depend also on the technique and conditions of illumination and detection. The number of determining factors and the complexity of the relations are in strong contradiction with the natural demand in practice to characterize optical properties with a simple number, such as transparency, haze etc. In spite of this controversy and difficulties in the interpretation of the dominating factors, optical properties of a polymer can be determined, reproduced and compared by the strict application of relevant standards. 

Principles and Characteristics UVATS spectrophotometry may be used in the analysis of extracts cfr. Section 5.1 of ref. [1]). One might also wish to measure solid samples for identification and quantitation of the components present. Direct UVA IS spectrophotometry of a polymeric material without previous extraction or dissolution of the matrix is one of the fastest means for additive analysis. Modern UV spectrophotometers are suitable to investigate efficiently the transmission and/or reflection of polymers either as powders, plates or film. In principle, UV spectrophotometry is an exact tool for the quantitative determination of additives in polymers (primarily stabilisers), directly in-polymer. Typical analysable sample quantities amount to about 0.1 to 0.2 mg. Such small samples permit stabiliser contents down to concentrations of 0.03% to be determined with an error of 10% within 15 min [7]. UV detection can, however, be utilised only in polymer films with a suflfl-ciently low absorbance. Ideally, a blank film sample of the polymer used to make the film is taken as the background. However, as an additive-free matrix is not always available, the blank measurement may be impaired. 

If die absence of the connate water bank in the laboratory floods reflects a polymer flood mechanism or characteristic independent of scale, then the oil recovery predicted by the numerical model is conservative. 

Fig. 14. Molecular weight characteristics of novolac resins. Shown is the size-exclusion chromatogram for a typical commercial novolac polymer. The unsymmetrical peak shape reflects the multimodal molecular weight distribution of the polymer.

With the exception of glass fiber, asbestos (qv), and the specialty metallic and ceramic fibers, textile fibers are a class of soHd organic polymers distinguishable from other polymers by their physical properties and characteristic geometric dimensions (see Glass Refractory fibers). The physical properties of textile fibers, and indeed of all materials, are a reflection of molecular stmcture and intermolecular organization. The abiUty of certain polymers to form fibers can be traced to several stmctural features at different levels of organization rather than to any one particular molecular property. 

From a practical standpoint, the fiber or polymer must interact or process freely with the dynamics of web formation, and the resulting fiber network must be in register with the interlocking arrangement or media, in order for the fabric stmcture to transmit the maximum potential inherent in the properties of individual fibers. Ultimately, if a nonwoven fabric is to be totally effective and its properties fuUy utilized, it must be appropriately configured to meet its end use apptication or appropriately placed in the end use item in such a way that the performance of the product reflects the position and characteristics of individual fibers. 

One significant development in recent years has been the widespread treatment of clothing fabrics to give a measure of water and stain resistance. Mention may also be made of the expression Teflon-coated (Teflon is the DuPont trade name for PTFE) to describe a person, usually a politician, to whom no dirt (i.e. scandal) sticks, a reflection of the non-stick characteristics of the polymer ... 

Infrared spectroscopy, including Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, is one of the oldest techniques used for surface analysis. ATR has been used for many years to probe the surface composition of polymers that have been surface-modified by an etching process or by deposition of a film. RAIR has been widely used to characterize thin films on the surfaces of specular reflecting substrates. FTIR has numerous characteristics that make it an appropriate technique for... 

One could assume that this characteristic behavior of the mobility of the polymers is also reflected by the typical relaxation times r of the driven chains. Indeed, in Fig. 28 we show the relaxation time T2, determined from the condition g2( Z2) = - g/3 in dependence on the field B evidently, while for B < B t2 is nearly constant (or rises very slowly), for B > Be it grows dramatically. This result, as well as the characteristic variation of with B (cf. Figs. 27(a-c)), may be explained, at least phenomenologically, if the motion of a polymer chain through the host matrix is considered as consisting of (i) nearly free drift from one obstacle to another, and (ii) a period of trapping, r, of the molecule at the next obstacle. If the mean distance between obstacles is denoted by ( and the time needed by the chain to travel this distance is /, then - (/ t + /), whereby from Eq. (57) / = /Vq — k T/ DqBN). This gives a somewhat better approximation for the drift velocity... 

A characteristic dependence of the efficiency on the thickness of the active layer has also been observed for single layer polymer LEDs. This effect has been attributed to reflection of the EL light at the mirror-like metal electrodes resulting in characteristic interference maxima and minima depending on the thickness of the active layer and its refractive index [116). 

Though the accuracy of description of flow curves of real polymer melts, attained by means of Eq. (10), is not always sufficient, but doubtless the equation of such a structure based on the idea of relaxation mechanism of non-Newtonian polymer flow, correctly reflects the main peculiarities of viscous properties. Therefore while discussing the effect a filler has on the viscosity properties of polymer melts, besides the dependences Y(filler modifies the characteristic time of relaxation. According to [19], a possible form of the X versus

[Pg.86]

Tethering may be a reversible or an irreversible process. Irreversible grafting is typically accomplished by chemical bonding. The number of grafted chains is controlled by the number of grafting sites and their functionality, and then ultimately by the extent of the chemical reaction. The reaction kinetics may reflect the potential barrier confronting reactive chains which try to penetrate the tethered layer. Reversible grafting is accomplished via the self-assembly of polymeric surfactants and end-functionalized polymers [59]. In this case, the surface density and all other characteristic dimensions of the structure are controlled by thermodynamic equilibrium, albeit with possible kinetic effects. In this instance, the equilibrium condition involves the penalties due to the deformation of tethered chains. 

The purpose of this monograph, the first to be dedicated exclusively to the analytics of additives in polymers, is to evaluate critically the extensive problemsolving experience in the polymer industry. Although this book is not intended to be a treatise on modem analytical tools in general or on polymer analysis en large, an outline of the principles and characteristics of relevant instrumental techniques (without hands-on details) was deemed necessary to clarify the current state-of-the-art of the analysis of additives in polymers and to accustom the reader to the unavoidable professional nomenclature. The book, which provides an in-depth overview of additive analysis by focusing on a wide array of applications in R D, production, quality control and technical service, reflects the recent explosive development of the field. Rather than being a compendium, cookery book or laboratory manual for qualitative and/or quantitative analysis of specific additives in a variety of commercial polymers, with no limits to impractical academic exoticism (analysis for its own sake), the book focuses on the fundamental characteristics of the arsenal of techniques utilised industrially in direct relation... 

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