POLYMER PROCESSIN

Prepared By: - Rohit Sinh

B.Tech (CH) 4th Yea
Roll No.-100685103

POLYMER

POLYMER
A large molecule with
repeating sub-units.
Sub-units also known
as Monomers.
Derived from two Greek
Words, POLUS
(meaning many) and
MEROS (meaning
parts)
Term coined by Jons
Jacob Berzelius in 1833.

POLYMER
Polymers are studied inbiophysicsandmacromolecular

science, andpolymer science.

Historically, polymers having linkages of covalent
chemical bondhave been the primary focus.
Emerging important areas of the science now focus on
non-covalent links.
Polyisoprene(Latex Rubber) &
thepolystyrene(Styrofoam)are examples of polymeric
natural/biological and synthetic polymers, respectively.
In biological contexts, essentially all
biologicalmacromolecules i.e.,
proteins(polyamides),nucleic acids(polynucleotides),
and polysaccharidesare polymeric in nature.

POLYMER
PROCESSING

POLYMER PROCESSING

Manufactured polymers need to

be converted into varying
shapes, designs and colours to
be used as end products.

Polymer processing is an
engineering speciality used to
convert polymeric materials
into useful end products.

Processed polymers are cost

effective, durable and can be
used as substitute for many
products.

POLYMER PROCESSING
COMPOUNDING

Manufactured polymers in their pure

form are called virgin polymers or
virgin resins.

Except a few polymers like

polystyrene, polyethylene etc., virgin
polymers cannot be processed right
away.

Compounding is the process of

adding ingredients like plasticisers,
vulcanising agents, stabilisers etc.

Lubricants are added to most

polymers to reduce friction & improve
within flow within processing
machineries.

POLYMER PROCESSING
DIE CASTING
CALENDERING
FILM
INJECTION
COMPRESSION
BLOW
REINFORCING
CASTING
MOULDING
MOULDING
MOULDING
POLYMER
PROCESSING
TECHNIQUES

CALENDERING

CALENDERING

Employed to produce continuous films &

sheets.
A calendering machine is a set of highly
polished metal rollers rolling in opposite
directions.
The gap between the rollers determines the
thickness of sheet calendered out.
Polyvinyl Chloride, Polyethylene,
Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene Copolymer
(ABS) and rubbers are the main polymers
which are calendered into sheets.

CALENDERING

Compounded polymeric material is fed between the

rollers which are maintained at an elevated temperature
& the sheet emerging from the rollers is cooled by
passing through cold rollers. The sheets are finally
wound up as rolls.

DIE CASTING

DIE CASTING

Die casting is a low cost process, converts a

liquid prepolymer to a solid object with a
desired shape.
Sheets, tubes, rods in limited lengths can be
produced using this technique.
The dies for casting can be of Plaster of
Paris, lead or glass
Acrylics, Epoxites, Polyesters, Phenolics and
Urethanes are suitable for die casting.

DIE CASTING
The prepolymer is poured
into a petridish.
The dish is kept in an oven
at a high temperature for
few hours.
On cooling to room
temperature, the solid
product, is pulled out.
Instead of petridish we can
also use a cylindrical glass
tube closed at one end to
get a cylindrical product.

FILM CASTING

FILM CASTING
Used to produce

polymeric films.
The solution is allowed
to fall on an endless
metallic belt.
Continuous sheet of
polymer solution is
formed on the surface
of belt.
On solvent
evaporation, a thin film
of the polymer is
formed.
The film could be

Cellophane sheets &

photographic films
prepared by this
process.

COMPRESSION MOULDING

OMPRESSION MOULDING

Used to produce articles from thermosetting

polymers.

The thermosetting material is subjected to heat &

pressure, simultaneously.

This is performed using a hydraulic press with heated

plattens.

Moulding temperature & pressure can be as high as

200OC & 70kg/cm3.

The temperature and pressure depends on

rheological, thermal and other properties of the
material to be moulded.

OMPRESSION MOULDING
The mould has 2
halves, upper &
lower or the male &
female half.
The lower half has a
cavity & upper half
contains a projection
which fits into the
cavity.
The gap between
the halves gives the
of the material is placed in the cavity of the
shape
Compounded
moulded
article.
mould. Mould
closes down under pressure, squeezing
& compacting the material to shape of the cavity. On
heating, the compacted mass gets cured and hardened

INJECTION
MOULDING

INJECTION MOULDING
Best suited for producing articles
made up of thermoplastic materials.
The equipment cost is relatively high
but the production rate is also high.
In it, a definite quantity of molten
thermoplastic material is injected
under pressure into a cold mould
where it solidifies to the shape of the
mould.

 The plastic
material as
granules, pellets or
powder is fed
through the hopper
into the hot
horizontal cylinder
where it gets
softened.
Pressure is applied
through a hydraulic
piston to push the
molten material
through it into a
mould at the end of
the cylinder.
The molten
material is injected
through a nozzle
into the mould
cavity.

INJECTION MOULDING

Using a locking device, the mould

is held in position as molten plastic
is injected.
Proper flow of the molten plastic to
interior regions is achieved by
preheating it.
After the mould is filled, it is cooled
by cold water circulation & opened
to eject the moulded article.

BLOW MOULDING

BLOW MOULDING
Hollow plastic materials are produced by the

moulding technique.
Containers, soft drink bottles & various hollow

articles are produced by this process.

Thermoplastic materials like polyethylene,

polycarbonate, PVC, polystyrene, nylon, acrylics,

acrylonitrile & ABS polymer can be blow moulded.
Blow moulding is also extensively used in the glass

making industry.

BLOW MOULDING
Hot, softened

thermoplastic tube
(parison) is placed in a
two piece hollow mould.
Two halves of the mould

are closed, which

pinches & closes one
end & encloses a
blowing pin in another.
Parison is blown by

pressurising from within

by compressed
air
Hot
parison is inflated
until it comes in contact with the
through
blowing
cold
interior
of thepin.
mould.
Under pressure, parison assumes the shape of mould
cavity. It is cooled & the article is then removed by

REINFORCING

REINFORCING
Reinforcing a plastic matrix with a high-strength fibre material
results in formation of fibre-reinforced plastics (FRPs).
FRPs have outstanding properties like high strength-to-weight
ratio & excellent corrosion resistance, thereby allowing usage in
spacecraft, satellites & boat hulls.
They are also employed as storage tanks for storing acids.
The main reinforcing fibres used are glass, graphite, alumina,
carbon, boron & beryllium. Natural fibres such as sisal,
asbestos, etc., are also used for reinforcement.
The selection of fibre, depends on the required properties in the
end composite.
Three of the most commonly used techniques for reinforcing
are:1. The hand lay-up technique
technique
3. The spray-up technique

2. The filament-

winding

REINFORCING

THE HAND LAY-UP

TECHNIQUE

Simplest technique for producing

reinforced plastic articles.

Quality of end-product depends mainly on

the skill of the operator.
The mould is given a coating of release
agent, then coated with a resin matrix.
A pre-cut glass cloth is then laid over the
resin layer. Another layer of the resin
coating is spread over the glass cloth.
Rollers press the glass cloth on the resin
uniformly & remove entrapped air bubbles.
Alternate layers of resin & glass cloth are
laid in similar sequence. The whole set-up
is then cured at high temperature. The
reinforced plastic is then removed &
finished properly.

Sheets, auto body

parts, boat hulls, ducts
& building components
are produced by this
technique.

REINFORCING

FILAMENT WIDING
TECHNIQUE

Widely used method for

producing reinforced plastic
articles like high-pressure
cylinders, storage tanks & rocket
motor bodies.
In it, a continuous length of
strand is passed through a bath
of resin & curative. As the strand
comes out of bath, the excess
resin is squeezed out.
The filament is then wound over a
mandrel of required shape &
cured under the influence of heat.

REINFORCING

SPRAY-UP
TECHNIQUE

Used in manufacturing of
truck bodies, storage
vessels, boat hulls etc.
Quick method to cover
large surface areas.
It employs a multiple
headed gun. Spray of
resin, a curative &
chopped fibres are
discharged on a mould &
get deposited to a
uniform thickness.
Once the required
thickness is achieved, it is
cured by heat. The

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