Materials Know How
Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials, Part 28: Making LCP's Melt Processable
Liquid-crystal polymers based on a single monomer produces a polymer with a very high melting point.This presents two problems. Here’s how they were solved.
Read More
The Effects of Time on Polymers
Last month we briefly discussed the influence of temperature on the mechanical properties of polymers and reviewed some of the structural considerations that govern these effects.
Read More
The Effects of Stress on Polymers
Previously we have discussed the effects of temperature and time on the long-term behavior of polymers. Now let's take a look at stress.
Read More
Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials, Part 27: Liquid-Crystal Polymers
Liquid-crystal polymers debuted in the mid-1980s, but the history of the chemistry associated with this class of materials actually starts a century earlier.
Read More
Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials, Part 26: High-Performance Thermoplastics
The majority of the polymers that today we rely on for outstanding performance — such as polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyphenylsulfone and PPS — were introduced in the period between 1965 and 1985. Here’s how they entered your toolbox of engineering of materials.
Read More
Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials, Part 25: Silicones
The long road to the development of silicone resulted in a chemistry that is remarkably versatile.
Read More
The Importance of Melt & Mold Temperature
Molders should realize how significantly process conditions can influence the final properties of the part.
Read More
Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials: Silicones
More properly known as siloxanes, silicones are a class of materials where no carbon is present in the polymer backbone.
Read More
How Do You Like Your Acetal: Homopolymer or Copolymer?
Acetal materials have been a commercial option for more than 50 years.
Read More
PBT and PET Polyester: The Difference Crystallinity Makes
To properly understand the differences in performance between PET and PBT we need to compare apples to apples—the semi-crystalline forms of each polymer.
Read More
