COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & EMERGING

TECHNOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF THE PUNJAB

LAHORE

Identification of Polymers
Lab Report 1
Submitted By:

M. Hamza Ayyub
E14-301
Jawad Ahmad
E14-314

Submitted To:

Dr. Mohsin Ali Raza

Date: 15th February, 2016

DEPARTMENT OF METALLURGY & MATERIALS

ENGINEERING

Statement
To identify given polymeric material by crude method
Aim
Determine the polymeric material by different method like flame test, solubility test, water test
and copper wire test.
Principle
The principle of this experiment is that the polymeric material was separated from each other due
to reactivity and solubility.
Apparatus

Beaker
Burner
Match box
Tong

Material

Water
Acetone
Isopropanol
Polymeric material

Procedure
A beaker was taken with the specific amount of water in it. The polymeric material which was
given to us is dropped into it, then we observed that which materials sunk into the water and
which floated onto the water. This is also known as water test. The materials which sink into the
water is dropped into the acetone and observed that which material reacted or remain unreacted.
The materials which float in water test was dropped into isopropanol and observed which
materials sink and which float. Then the copper wire test was done to observe that which
polymeric material is thermoset or thermoplastic. A flame test was done and observed the flame
color, cracking, smell, burning rate and identify the polymeric materials.

Observation and Calculation

Water Test

Polymeric material

Sink

Float

Expected polymer

White

Float

PETE.PVC

Dark yellow

Float

PP,LDPE,HDPE

Blue

Float

PP,LDPE,HDPE

Black

Float

PP,LDPE,HDPE

Red

Float

HDPE,PP

Green

Float

LDPE,HDPE

Dark brown

Sink

PETE,PS,PVC

White

Sink

PP,LDPE,HDPE

Dark yellow

Sink

PETE,PS,PVC

Yellow

Sink

PETE,PS,PVC

Acetone Test

Polymeric material

Reacted

Not reacted

Expected polymer

White

Reacted

PS

Dark brown

Reacted

PS

Dark yellow

Not reacted

PETE

Yellow

Not reacted

PETE

Isopropanol Test

Polymeric material

Sink

Float

Expected polymer

Green pallet

Float

PVC,PS,PETE,HDPE

Red Pallet(Hard)

Float

PVC,PS,PETE,HDPE

Blue pallet

Float

PVC,PS,PETE,HDPE

Red strip

Float

PVC,PS,PETE,HDPE

Black strip

Float

PVC,PS,PETE,HDPE

White strip

Float

PVC,PS,PETE,HDPE

Flame Test

Polymeric
material
Yellow(bold)
Yellow (light)

Burn or not

Flame color
Green
Yellow

Nature of
smoke
Dense
Dense

Color of
smoke
Black
Black

Burn
Burn

Red(hard)
Red(soft)
Green pallet
Blue pallet
Red strip
White strip
Black strip
Brown strip
Transparent
strip
Yellow strip
White strip

Burn
Burn
Burn
Burn
Burn
Burn
Burn
Burn
Burn

Yellow
Green
Yellow
Yellow
Yellow
Yellow
No
Yellow
Yellow

Light
Light
Light
Light
Light
Light
Light
Light
Light

White
Black
White
White
White
White
White
White
White

Burn

Yellow green
Yellow

Light
Light

Black & white

Nil

Recycling codes & polymers from literature

Recycling code

Polymers name

properties

PET or PETE

Tough, hold
carbon dioxide
well

HDPE

Rigid, low cost

PVC

Strong, resistant

LDPE

Crystalline,
flexible, porous

PP

Chemical and
fatigue resistant

Product that
contains
Soft drink
bottles, edible
oil bottles,
butter jars
Milk container,
juice bottles,
grocery snacks
PVC pipes,
food packaging
films, solid
detergents
Trash bags,
bread bags

PS

Plates, dishes,
cups

Other polymers

Copolymers,
blends

Lids, yogurt
tubs, straws,
syrup bottles

Task 1
FLOW CHART
Sample
Pallets, strips

Water test
Float

Sink

Acetone test

Isopropyl alcohol
test

Sink

Float

Not reacted

Reacted
Copper wire
test

Flame
test
Oil test

All
sample

Flame test

Copper wire
test

Task 3
Identification of polymer
State of art techniques used to identify polymers are given bellow:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Preliminary examination
Element analysis
Solubility test
IR analysis (KBr disc)
Flame test
Specific gravity determination
Pyrolysis test (Application of thermal energy)

Task 4
Need to identify polymeric materials
In our everyday life we face many polymeric materials many of which are in form of disposal
containers used for many household products. As our natural resources are diminished and our
landfills become filled. We are finding that it is better to recycle much of our waste materials
than to dispose of them or burn them. To make recycling of these polymers easier the plastic
industry has adopted the codes.
When working with plastic there is often need to identify that which particular polymeric
material has been used for a given product. Most consumers recognize the types of plastics by
numerical coding system created by society of the plastic industry. There are six different types
of plastic resins that are commonly used to package household products. The identification codes
can found on the bottom of most plastic packaging.

Task 5
POLYMERS ARE BURDEN ON OUR ENVIRONMENT
Polymers and plastics have transformed everyday life usage is increasing however, concerns
about usage and disposal are diverse and include accumulation of waste in landfills and an
natural habitats, physical problems for wildlife result from ingestion or entanglement in plastic,
the leaching of chemicals to wildlife and humans.
When we are going to a big store we see many kinds of products of our daily life made of
polymeric materials and plastics, we see that these things helps in our daily routine e.g. when go
to buy some vegetables the shopkeeper gives us vegetables in shopping bags made from plastic
bags.
The quantities of plastic have accumulate in our environment and in landfill. Discarded plastic
also contaminate a wide range of natural terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitates, with
newspaper accounts of plastic debris on some of highest mountains. Fragments of plastic and
glass contaminating compost prepared from municipal solid waste and of plastic being carried
into streams, rivers and ultimately the sea with rain water and flood events despite their buoyant
nature, plastic can become fouled with marine life and sediment causing items to sink to the
seabed.
Floating plastic debris can rapidly become colonized by marine organisms and since it can
persist at the sea surface for substantial period it may subsequently facilitate the transport of
nonnative specimen. However the problems attracting most public and media attention are those
resulting in ingestion and entanglement by wildlife.
Turning to adverse effect of plastic on the human population, there is a growing body of
literature on potential health risks. A range of chemicals that are used in the manufacture of
plastics are known to be toxic. This approach has shown that chemicals used in the manufacture
of plastics are present in the human population. Body burdens that are used in the plastic
manufacture have also been correlated with adverse effects in the human population, including
reproductive abnormalities.
There are many benefits of polymers in present day but we have to think about future we cannot
make better future in the department of polymer and plastic unless we recycle them for the reuse
of them.
In present days 86 percent of ocean debris is plastic. There is no public landfills and no sewage
treatment plants. All trash goes into the sea. Plastic degrades due to solar radiation and oxidation
into smaller and smaller pieces, all of which are still plastic polymers, eventually becoming
individual molecules of plastic dust.

Task 6

Grocery store results

Products

Polymer

Olive oil, corn oil,

sunflower oil,
vegetable oil

PET & PVC

Harpic drain, opener,

vim

HDPE
(High-density
polyethylene)

Mineral water, juices,

dizzy drinks

Shampoo, shower gel,

lotions

Recycling code

Chemicals
Antioxides of acids

Chlorine solutions
2

HDPE
(High-density
polyethylene)

Protein , fats ,
carbohydrates
2

PS,PETE

Benzoic acid &

Compounds of
alcohol
2

Can you find some non-sticking pans? Why are they non-sticking?
They are non-stick because of the coating of polytetrafluoethene (Teflon). Fluoropolymers the
chemicals from which these toxic compounds come are a big part of the coating formula and the
very reason that foods don't stick to nonstick.

Sports Equipments & clothing

Sports Equipment

Polymer used

Clothing

Rackets Strings

Nylon

Shirts used in sports

Cricket bat

Epoxys

Soccer balls, shoes

Polyurethanes

PVC in trousers

Riding helmets, Googles

Polycarbonates

Sweaters

Electronic Equipments
Electronic Equipments

Polymer used

Electronic chips

Polyacetylene

Cables & wires

PVC

Circuit boards

Epoxy

Why plastics are not used for packaging of canned foods?

We not used plastics of canned foods because plastic melts at high temperature and mixed with
the foods particles. So, when we eat such food, surfers with different kind of diseases. On the
other hand, metal can withstand high temperature. This is the reason we dont use plastic for
packaging canned food.

Reference

Polymer Characterization Laboratory Techniques and Analysis BY Nicholas

P.Cheremisinof
Specialty polymers; Materials and Applications BY Fizz Mohammad
Materials in sports equipment volume 2 BY Aleksandra Subic