Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Chapter Outline: Polymer Structures

Hydrocarbon and Polymer Molecules Chemistry of Polymer Molecules Molecular Weight and Shape Molecular Structure and Configurations Copolymers Polymer Crystals Optional reading: none

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Polymers: Introduction
Polymer - a large molecule consisting of (at least five) repeated chemical units (`mers') joined together, like beads on a string. Polymers usually contain many more than five monomers, and some may contain hundreds or thousands of monomers in each chain. Polymers may be natural , such as cellulose or DNA, or synthetic , such as nylon or polyethylene.

Silk fibre is produced by silk worms in a cocoon, to protect the silkworm while it metamorphoses in a moth.

Many of the most important current research problems involve polymers. Living organisms are mainly composed of polymerized amino acids (proteins) nucleic acids (RNA and DNA), and other biopolymers. The most powerful computers our brains - are mostly just a complex polymer material soaking in salty water! We are just making first small steps towards University ofbiological Virginia, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering understanding of systems. 2

Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Hydrocarbon molecules (I)

Most polymers are organic, and formed from hydrocarbon molecules

Each C atom has four e- that participate in bonds, each H atom has one bonding eExamples of saturated (all bonds are single ones) hydrocarbon molecules:

Methane, CH4

Ethane, C 2H6

Propane, C 3H8
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Hydrocarbon molecules (II) Double and triple bonds can exist between C atoms (sharing of two or three electron pairs). These bonds are called unsaturated bonds. Unsaturated molecules are more reactive

H-C C-H
Ethylene, C 2H4 Acetylene, C2H2

Isomers are molecules that contain the same atoms but in a different arrangement. An example is butane and isobutane:

Butane C4H10 Isobutane

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Hydrocarbon molecules (III)

Many other organic groups can be involved in polymer molecules. In table above R represent radical, an organic group of atoms that remain as a unit and maintain their identity during chemical reactions (e.g. CH3, C C6H5) University of Virginia, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering 2H 5, 5

Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Polymer molecules

Polymer molecules are very large: macromolecules Most polymers consist of long and flexible chains with a string of C atoms as a backbone. Side-bonding of C atoms to H atoms or radicals Double bonds possible in both chain and side bonds Repeat unit in a polymer chain (unit cell) is a mer A single mer is called a monomer

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Chemistry of polymer molecules (I)

Ethylene (C2 H4) is a gas at room temp and pressure Ethylene transform to polyethylene (solid) by forming active mer through reaction with initiator or catalytic radical (R.) (.) denotes unpaired electron (active site) Polymerization: 1. Initiation reaction:

2. Rapid propagation ~1000 mer units in 1-10 ms:

3. Termination when two active chain ends meet each other or active chain end meet with initiator or other species with single active bond:

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Chemistry of polymer molecules (II)

Replace hydrogen atoms in polyethylene: make polytetraflouroethylene (PTFE) Teflon

Replace every fourth hydrogen atom in polyethylene with Cl atom: polyvinyl chloride Replace every fourth hydrogen atom in polyethylene with CH3 methyl group: polyproplylene

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Chemistry of polymer molecules (III)

When all the mers are the same, the molecule is called a homopolymer When there is more than one type of mer present, the molecule is a copolymer Mer units that have 2 active bonds to connect with other mers are called bifunctional Mer units that have 3 active bonds to connect with other mers are called trifunctional. They form threedimensional molecular network structures.

Polyethilene (bifunctional)

Phenol-formaldehyde (trifunctional)

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Molecular weight (I)

Final molecular weight (chain length) is controlled by relative rates of initiation, propagation, termination steps of polymerization Formation of macromolecules during polymerization results in distribution of chain lengths and molecular weights The average molecular weight can be obtained by averaging the masses with the fraction of times they appear (number-average molecular weight) or with the mass fraction of the molecules ( weight-average molecular weight). number-average:

Mn = x i M i
weight-average:

Mw = w i Mi
wi is weight fraction of chains of length i xi is number fraction of chains of length i
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Molecular weight (II)

Alternative way to express average polymer chain size is degree of polymerization - the average number of mer units in a chain: number-average: weight-average:

Mn nn = m
m

Mw nw = m
is the mer molecular weight

Melting / softening temperatures increase molecular weight (up to ~ 100,000 g/mol)

with

At room temperature, short chain polymers (molar weight ~ 100 g/mol) are liquids or gases, intermediate length polymers (~ 1000 g/mol) are waxy solids, solid polymers have molecular weights of 104 - 107 g/mol

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Molecular shape

The angle between the singly bonded carbon atoms is ~109o carbon atoms form a zigzag pattern in a polymer molecule. Moreover, while maintaining the 109o angle between bonds polymer chains can rotate around single C-C bonds (double and triple bonds are very rigid). Random kinks and coils lead to entanglement, like in the spaghetti structure:

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Molecular shape Molecular chains may thus bend, coil and kink Neighboring chains may intertwine and entangle Large elastic extensions of rubbers correspond to unraveling of these coiled chains Mechanical / thermal characteristics depend on the ability of chain segments to rotate

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Molecular structure
The physical characteristics of polymer material depend not only on molecular weight and shape, but also on molecular structure: 1 Linear polymers : Van der Waals bonding between chains. Examples: polyethylene, nylon.

2 Branched polymers: Chain packing efficiency is reduced compared to linear polymers - lower density

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Molecular structure
3 Cross-linked polymers : Chains are connected by covalent bonds. Often achieved by adding atoms or molecules that form covalent links between chains. Many rubbers have this structure.

4 Network

polymers : trifunctional mers. formaldehyde

3D networks made from Examples: epoxies, phenol-

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Isomerism Isomerism: Hydrocarbon compounds with same composition may have different atomic arrangements. Physical properties may depend on isomeric state (e.g. boiling temperature of normal butane is -0.5 oC, of isobutane -12.3 oC)

Butane C4H10 Isobutane

Two types of isomerism are possible: stereoisomerism and geometrical isomerism

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Stereoisomerism Stereoisomerism: atoms are linked together in the same order, but can have different spatial arrangement 1 Isotactic configuration: all side groups R are on the same side of the chain.

2 Syndiotactic configuration: alternate sides of the chain.

side

groups

3 Atactic configuration: random orientations of groups R along the chain.

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Geometrical isomerism
Geometrical isomerism: consider two carbon atoms bonded by a double bond in a chain. H atom or radical R bonded to these two atoms can be on the same side of the chain (cis structure) or on opposite sides of the chain (trans structure).

Cis-polyisoprene

Trans-polyisoprene
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Summary: Size Shape -Structure

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Copolymers (composed of different mers)

Copolymers, polymers with at least two different types of mers, can differ in the way the mers are arranged: Random copolymer

Alternating copolymer

Block copolymer

Graft copolymer

Synthetic rubbers are copolymers

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Polymer Crystallinity (I)

Atomic arrangement in polymer crystals is more complex than in metals or ceramics (unit cells are typically large and complex).

Polyethylene Polymer molecules are often partially crystalline (semicrystalline), with crystalline regions dispersed within amorphous material.

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Polymer Crystallinity (II)

Degree of crystallinity is determined by: Rate of cooling during solidification: time is necessary for chains to move and align into a crystal structure Mer complexity: crystallization less likely in complex structures, simple polymers, such as polyethylene, crystallize relatively easily Chain configuration: linear polymers crystallize relatively easily, branches inhibit crystallization, network polymers almost completely amorphous, crosslinked polymers can be both crystalline and amorphous Isomerism: isotactic, syndiotactic polymers crystallize relatively easily - geometrical regularity allows chains to fit together, atactic difficult to crystallize Copolymerism: easier to crystallize if mer arrangements are more regular - alternating, block can crystallize more easily as compared to random and graft More crystallinity: higher density, more strength, higher resistance to dissolution and softening by heating
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Polymer Crystallinity (III)

Crystalline polymers are denser than amorphous polymers, so the degree of crystallinity can be obtained from the measurement of density:

c ( s a ) crystallin ity = 100 s ( c a )

c: Density of perfect crystalline polymer a: Density of completely amorphous polymer s: Density of partially crystalline polymer that we are analyzing

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Polymer Crystals
Thin crystalline platelets grown from solution - chains fold back and forth: chain-folded model

Polyethylene

The average chain length is much greater than the thickness of the crystallite
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Polymer Crystals
Spherulites: Aggregates of lamellar crystallites ~ 10 nm thick, separated by amorphous material. Aggregates approximately spherical in shape.

Photomicrograph of spherulite structure University of Virginia, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering of polyethylene

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Five Bakers Dancing

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Number Eighty Eight

HUMAN APOLIPOPROTEIN A-I. Biopolymers can be complex and nice

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

His bark is worse than his bite

CHAPERONE/STRUCTURAL PROTEIN
Authors: D. Choudhury, A. Thompson, A. Thompson, V. Stojanoff, S. Langerman, J. Pinkner, S. J. Hultgren, S. Knight
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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Summary
Make sure you understand language and concepts: Alternating copolymer Atactic configuration Bifunctional mer Block copolymer Branched polymer Chain-folded model Cis (structure) Copolymer Crosslinked polymer Crystallite Degree of polymerization Graft copolymer Homopolymer Isomerism Isotactic configuration Linear polymer Macromolecule Mer Molecular chemistry Molecular structure Molecular weight Monomer Network polymer Polymer Polymer crystallinity Random copolymer Saturated Spherulite Stereoisomerism Syndiotactic configuration Trans (structure) Trifunctional mer Unsaturated

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Introduction to Materials Science, Chapter 15, Polymer Structures

Reading for next class:

Chapter 16: Characteristics, Applications, and

Processing of Polymers
Mechanical properties Stress-Strain Behavior Deformation of Semicrystalline Polymers Crystallization, Melting, Glass Transition Thermoplastic and Thermosetting Polymers Viscoelasticity Deformation and Elastomers Fracture of Polymers Polymerization Elastomers Optional reading: 16.10, 16.12-16.14, 16.16-16.18
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