Polymer Processing EG-M106

Prof Cris Arnold

School Education Lead
Aerospace, Civil, Electrical & Mechanical
Engineering
 Module Content
• What is a Polymer

• Plastics & Rubbers

• Pros and cons

• Plastics
• Thermosets
• Thermoplastics

• Polymerisation

• Biopolymers
 Module Content
• Structure of Polymers
• Morphology
• Thermal Transitions

• Properties of Polymers
• Viscoelasticity – solid(like) behaviour
• Rheology – liquid(like) behaviour
 Module Content
• Plastics Processing

• Injection Moulding
• Outline
• Tooling
• Process

• Polymer Simulation
• Basis and benefits
 Module Content
• Advanced Moulding Techniques

• MuCell/Microcellular Injection Moulding

• Process Temperature Control
• PVT Behaviour
 Module Delivery
• Formal lectures
• Fridays 9 – 11 weeks 2-5, 11, 12

• Processing demonstration
• Fridays 9 – 11 weeks 6-8 (in groups)

• PC lab simulation (Moldflow)

• Tuesdays & Fridays 9 – 11 weeks 9, 10
 Module Delivery
• The Plan
Date Theme

6th Oct Lecture: Introduction – polymerisation – biopolymers

13th Oct Lecture: Morphology and Thermal Transitions
20th Oct Lecture: Viscoelasticity and Rheology
27th Oct Lecture: Injection Moulding
3rd Nov Practical Demonstration
10th Nov Practical Demonstration
17th Nov Practical Demonstration

24th Nov PC lab - Moldflow

1st Dec PC lab - Moldflow
8th Dec Lecture: Mucell, Temperature Control

15th Dec Lecture: PVT behaviour and use

 Module Assessment

Exam - 100%

3 from 3 questions

Module will give an insight

into research

Formative questions after every lecture

 Lecture 1
Learning outcomes

- Why are polymers relevant?

- What is a polymer?
- Polymer types
- How they are formed
- Possible benefits of biopolymers
 Lecture 1
Polymers
• Difficult to imagine our
modern world without
polymers

• Application ranges from

domestic articles to
sophisticated scientific
and medical
instruments.
 Lecture 1
Polymer applications
 Lecture 1
Polymers in the UK
• UK polymers sector is large and constitutes an
important UK economic strength

• Annual sales of £19 billion

• Continual expansion of 13% annually

• Accounts for 7% of UK manufacturing activity

• Greater than combined automotive and

pharmaceutical
 Lecture 1
Polymers in the UK
• Within the UK there are 7500 companies
working within the polymers sector

• Employing 180,000 personnel

 Lecture 1
Polymer sector landscape

• Important trade sector

This may
change
 Lecture 1
What are the good points of
polymers (plastics & rubbers)?
What are advantages of
polymers?

ⓘ Start presenting to display the poll results on this slide.

 Lecture 1
What are the bad points of
polymers (plastics & rubbers)?
What are the disadvantages
of polymers?

ⓘ Start presenting to display the poll results on this slide.

 Lecture 1
Polymers – pro’s and con’s
Good Bad
Low cost Low stiffness and strength
Easy processing Low temperature resistance
Easily coloured Flammable?
Can be transparent Degrade in sunlight / chemicals
Flexible (rubbers) Hard to recycle?
Versatile design Cause microplastic pollution
Lightweight High impact of production?
Corrosion resistant Use up fossil fuels?
Insulators (elec, heat, sound)
Can be recycled?
 Lecture 1

Polymer materials

Polymers are now accepted for a wide

variety of applications, both structural and
non-structural, and for mass production
as well as one-off speciality products.
 Lecture 1

Speciality product Mass production

 Lecture 1

What is a polymer?

Polymers

Many Parts
 Polymer evolution
Monomer Lewis structure
H H
H H
C C
C C
H H
H H
ethylene Double covalent bond
H H H H
Monomer - Unreacted single molecule
C C +C C
H H H H
 Polymer terminology
Monomer
Polymer

Polymerisation
H H H H H H H H H
C C +C C C C C C C
H H H H H H H H H
ethylene Polyethylene

Single repeat
unit polymer
 Lecture 1
Plastics refers to a family of material
which includes nylon, polyethylene and
PTFE

Just like zinc, aluminium and steel fall

within the family of metals

Important! each material has very different

properties so we can’t just specify metal or
plastic
 Lecture 1
Polymers are different from metals in the
sense that their structure consists of very
long chain-like molecules

Natural materials such as:

silk,
bitumen, Similar
Rubber, structure
cellulose
 Lecture 1

Polymer types

We conveniently refer to plastics and rubbers

“Plastics” are generally rigid polymers at
service temperature
“Rubbers” are generally flexible polymers with
high elastic limit
(No clear boundary)
 Lecture 1
Polymer types

We also refer to “thermoplastics” and

“thermosets”
“Thermoplastics” melt reversibly
“Thermosets” don’t melt once produced
(Rubbers and Plastics can both either be
thermoset or thermoplastic)
 Lecture 1
Thermoset –

Defined as polymers that become

irreversibly hard through processing.
During processing a chemical change
(curing) occurs. The chemical change
during curing connects the linear
molecules. The connection is known as
crosslinks
 Lecture 1
Thermoset –
Analogy boiled egg – Once the egg has cooled its
hard, it cannot be softened again by the application of
heat
 Lecture 1
Thermoplastic –

Defined as polymers which softens and

hardens reversibly on heating and
cooling. During processing (application of
heat) a physical change occurs without a
corresponding chemical change in the
structure of the material.
 Lecture 1
Thermoplastic –
Analogy candle wax – They can be repeatedly
softened by heat and will solidify when cooled
 Lecture 1
Offending item

How might this effect the sustainability of thermoset

plastics?
 Lecture 1
Question

Can you think of an application where a thermoset

material will be used instead of a thermoplastic
material?
 Lecture 1
Polymer types

We can also refer to “synthetic” and “natural”

polymers
Some are clearly separate (eg starch and
PVC)
Some polymers can be made from either bio-
or fossil-fuel sources
 Lecture 1
So many polymer types 

All commercial variants – with complicated

tradenames
Different molecular weights
Different additives
 Lecture 1
So many polymer types 
Question 1?

Would a fire fighters' helmet be made from a

thermoplastic or a thermoset?

Answer
Thermoset, probably reinforced with fibres
Strength, heat resistance and chemical resistance,
more important than recyclability
Question 2?

Why have Lego just decided not to use recycled

bottle plastic for their bricks?

Answer
They did a detailed environmental impact
assessment and the additional processing needed
for the recycled material out-weighed the benefits