Thermoplastics resin

The cured polymers are hard, clear, and glassy thermoplastic resins with high tensile strengths. The polymers, because of their highly polar stmcture, exhibit excellent adhesion to a wide variety of substrate combinations. They tend to be somewhat britde and have only low to moderate impact and peel strengths. The addition of fillers such as poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) reduces the brittleness somewhat. Newer formulations are now available that contain dissolved elastomeric materials of various types. These mbber-modifted products have been found to offer adhesive bonds of considerably improved toughness (3,4). 

Phase Separation. Microporous polymer systems consisting of essentially spherical, intercoimected voids, with a narrow range of pore and ceU-size distribution have been produced from a variety of thermoplastic resins by the phase-separation technique (127). If a polyolefin or polystyrene is insoluble in a solvent at low temperature but soluble at high temperatures, the solvent can be used to prepare a microporous polymer. When the solutions, containing 10—70% polymer, are cooled to ambient temperatures, the polymer separates as a second phase. The remaining nonsolvent can then be extracted from the solid material with common organic solvents. These microporous polymers may be useful in microfiltrations or as controlled-release carriers for a variety of chemicals. 

Goextrusions. In coextmsion, two or more thermoplastic resin melts are extruded simultaneously from the same die. Coextmsion permits an intimate layering in precisely the quantities required to function. Incompatible plastic materials are bonded with thermoplastic adhesive layers. Coextmded films may be made by extmsion-blowing or slot-casting of two, three, or more layers, eg, AB or ABA. Slot-casting is capable of combining up to 11 layers. 

With the improvement of refining and purification techniques, many pure olefinic monomers are available for polymerization. Under Lewis acid polymerization, such as with boron trifluoride, very light colored resins are routinely produced. These resins are based on monomers such as styrene, a-methylstryene, and vinyltoluene (mixed meta- and i ra-methylstyrene). More recently, purified i ra-methylstyrene has become commercially available and is used in resin synthesis. Low molecular weight thermoplastic resins produced from pure styrene have been available since the mid-1940s resins obtained from substituted styrenes are more recent. 

Thermoplastic resins produced from pure monomers such as styrene, alkyl-substituted styrenes, and isobutylene are produced commercially. An advantage of these resins is the fact that they are typically lighter in color than Gardner 1 (water-white) without being hydrogenated. Among the earliest resins in this category were those made from styrene and sold as Piccolastic. Styrene and alkyl-substituted styrenes such as a-methylstyrene are very reactive toward Friedel-Crafts polymerization catalysts. 

Ionomer resins are produced in multiple grades to meet market needs, and prospective customers are provided with information on key processing parameters such as melt-flow index. Nominal values for many other properties are Hsted in product brochures. The ASTM test methods developed for general-purpose thermoplastic resins are appHcable to ionomers. No special methods have been introduced specifically for the ionomers. 

Although it would be desirable to recycle laminate scrap, this has been difficult because of its thermoset nature. However, a 1993 patent (18) suggested a means whereby scrap consisting of cellulose, thermoset resins, and partially reacted resins can be ground to a powder which is used as a filler in a thermoplastic resin. The filled thermoplastic resin is then used for mol ding of various articles. 

Production and Sales and Captive Use of Thermosetting and Thermoplastic Resins, Society of the Plastics Industry, Committee on Resiu Statistics, Ernst and... 

Phenols. The first stable ozone oxidation product of phenol in water is ds ds-raucomc acid, which requires - 2 mol O /mol phenol. In practice, larger dosage levels of ozone are required because other ozone-reactive substances are present in most wastes. Ozone oxidation of phenoHc effluents is employed in paper mills, coke mills, oil refineries, and thermoplastic resin manufacture, producing effluents that are safe to freshwater biota (122,123) (see Lignin Pulp). 

Strong-Acid Catalysts, Novolak Resins. PhenoHc novolaks are thermoplastic resins having a molecular weight of 500—5000 and a glass-transition temperature, T, of 45—70°C. The phenol—formaldehyde reactions are carried to their energetic completion, allowing isolation of the resin ... 

Thermoplastics. The highest consumption of color concentrates is in thermoplastic resins, such as low and high density polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, and polystyrene. Processing techniques for thermoplastics are usually based on dry color dispersion in a compatible resin (36). 

The packaging (qv) requirements for shipping and storage of thermoplastic resins depend on the moisture that can be absorbed by the resin and its effect when the material is heated to processing temperatures. Excess moisture may result in undesirable degradation during melt processing and inferior properties. Condensation polymers such as nylons and polyesters need to be specially predried to very low moisture levels (3,4), ie, less than 0.2% for nylon-6,6 and as low as 0.005% for poly(ethylene terephthalate) which hydrolyzes faster. 

Other Materials. Benzoguanamine and acetoguanamine may be used in place of melamine to achieve greater solubiHty in organic solvents and greater chemical resistance. Aniline and toluenesulfonamide react with formaldehyde to form thermoplastic resins. They are not used alone, but rather as plasticizers (qv) for other resins including melamine and urea—formaldehyde. The plasticizer may be made separately or formed in situ during preparation of the primary resin. 

Worldwide propylene production and capacity utilization for 1992 are given in Table 6 (74). The world capacity to produce propylene reached 41.5 X 10 t in 1992 the demand for propylene amounted to 32.3 x 10 t. About 80% of propylene produced worldwide was derived from steam crackers the balance came from refinery operations and propylene dehydrogenation. The manufacture of polypropylene, a thermoplastic resin, accounted for about 45% of the total demand. Demand for other uses included manufacture of acrylonitrile (qv), oxochemicals, propylene oxide (qv), cumene (qv), isopropyl alcohol (see Propyl alcohols), and polygas chemicals. Each of these markets accounted for about 5—15% of the propylene demand in 1992 (Table 7). 

Reinforced Thermoplastic Sheet. This process uses precombined sheets of thermoplastic resin and glass fiber reinforcement, cut into blanks to fit the weight and size requirements of the part to be molded. The blanks, preheated to a specified temperature, are loaded into the metal mold and the material flows under mol ding pressure to fiU the mold. The mold is kept closed under pressure until the temperature of the part has been reduced, the resin solidified, and demolding is possible. Cycle time, as with thermosetting resins, depends on the thickness of the part and the heat distortion temperature of the resin. Mol ding pressures are similar to SMC, 10—21 MPa (1500—3000 psi), depending on the size and complexity of the part. 

Rotational molding is used to form large shells of thermoplastic resin and chopped strands for such appHcations as agricultural tanks and fertilizer hoppers. The resin and chopped glass are placed in the metal mold that is then rotated in an oven where the thermoplastic resin melts and deposits the fiber on the metal surface. When cooled, the mold is opened and the part is removed. 

Peroxides or other additives, eg, chlorinated paraffin, may also cause the thermoplastic resin to cross-link with the siloxanols. In this case, a tme interpenetrating polymer network forms, in which both phases are cross-linked. 

Monofilament Synthetic Nonabsorbable Sutures. Monofilament synthetic nonabsorbable sutures are made from thermoplastic resins melt-spun to form monofilaments. Spinnarets of different capillary diameter are used to make a range of suture sizes. 

Japan Wax. Japan wax [8001-39-6] is a fat and is derived from the berries of a small tree native to Japan and China cultivated for its wax. Japan wax is composed of triglycerides, primarily tripalmitin. Japan wax typically has a melting point of 53°C, an acid number of 18, and a saponification number of 217. Principal markets include the formulation of candles, poHshes, lubricants, and as an additive to thermoplastic resins. The product has some food-related apphcations. 

Substituted Amide Waxes. The product of fatty acid amidation has unique waxlike properties (13). Probably the most widely produced material is N,1S7-distearylethylenediarnine [110-30-5] which has a melting point of ca 140°C, an acid number of ca 7, and a low melt viscosity. Because of its unusuaHy high melting point and unique functionaHty, it is used in additive quantities to raise the apparent melting point of themoplastic resins and asphalts, as an internal—external lubricant in the compounding of a variety of thermoplastic resins, and as a processing aid for elastomers. 

Asbestos fibers have likewise been used in reinforcement of plastics such as poly(vinyl chloride), phenoHcs, polypropylene, nylon, etc. Reinforcement of both thermoset and thermoplastic resins by asbestos fibers has been practiced to develop products for the automotive, electronic, and printing industries. 

The volume of thermosetting powders sold exceeds that of thermoplastics by a wide margin. Thermoplastic resins are almost synonymous with fluidized-bed appHed thick-film functional coatings whereas thermosetting powders are used almost exclusively in electrostatic spray processes and appHed as thin-film decorative coatings. 

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