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Related Concept Videos

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers01:24

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers

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Copolymers are the products obtained from the polymerization of multiple monomer species. So, in a polymer chain itself, there can be multiple repeating units that come from different monomers. The process of synthesizing a polymer from different monomer species is called copolymerization. When two monomers are involved, the polymer is known as a bipolymer. Polymers with three and four monomers are termed terpolymers and quaterpolymers, respectively. Figure 1 depicts the copolymerization of...
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Polymer Classification: Architecture01:14

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Polymers are classified as linear or branched on the basis of their chain architecture. The polymer chains in linear polymers have a long chain-like structure with minimal to no branching at all. Even if a polymer features large substituent groups on the monomer, which appear as branches to the skeleton, it is not considered a branched polymer. A branched polymer contains secondary polymer chains that arise from the main polymer chain. The branching occurs when the polymer growth shifts from...
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Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters01:20

Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters

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The introduction of polyesters has brought major development to the textile industry. The wrinkle-free behavior of polyester blends has eliminated the need for starching and ironing clothes.
Polyesters are commonly prepared from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol; the crude product is known as poly(ethylene terephthalate) or PET. However, polyesters are synthesized industrially by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol at 150 °C. The two reactants and the polymer...
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Free-Radical Chain Reaction and Polymerization of Alkenes02:35

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The conversion of alkenes to macromolecules called polymers is a reaction of high commercial importance. The structure of the polymer is defined by a repeating unit, while the terminal groups are considered insignificant. The average degree of polymerization represents the number of repeating units in the polymer molecule and is denoted by the subscript n.
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Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:03

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Step-growth or condensation polymerization is a stepwise reaction of bi or multifunctional monomers to form long-chain polymers. As all the monomers are reactive, most of the monomers are consumed at the early stages of the reaction to form small chains of reactive oligomers, which then combine to form long polymer chains in the late stages. Hence, the reaction has to proceed for a long time to achieve high molecular weight polymers.
Many natural and synthetic polymers are produced by...
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Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP)01:16

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Ring-opening metathesis polymerization or ROMP involves strained cycloalkenes as starting materials. The mechanism of ROMP proceeds by reacting cycloalkene with Grubbs catalyst to give metallacyclobutane intermediate which undergoes a ring-opening reaction to form new carbene. The new carbene reacts with another molecule of cycloalkene. Repetition of these steps leads to the formation of an unsaturated open-chain polymer product. All these steps are reversible, however, relieving the ring...
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The Effect of Construction and Demolition Waste Plastic Fractions on Wood-Polymer Composite Properties
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Combining polyethylene and polypropylene: Enhanced performance with PE/iPP multiblock polymers.

James M Eagan1, Jun Xu2, Rocco Di Girolamo1

  • 1Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Baker Laboratory, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|February 25, 2017
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Summary

Researchers developed polyethylene/isotactic polypropylene multiblock copolymers to blend immiscible plastics. These novel copolymers enable the welding of common polyethylene and isotactic polypropylene grades, improving recyclability and material toughness.

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Area of Science:

  • Polymer Science
  • Materials Science
  • Chemical Engineering

Background:

  • Polyethylene (PE) and isotactic polypropylene (iPP) are widely used plastics but are immiscible.
  • This immiscibility poses significant challenges for recycling and creating advanced composite materials.
  • Developing effective compatibilization strategies is crucial for enhancing the utility of these abundant polymers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To synthesize novel PE/iPP multiblock copolymers.
  • To investigate the ability of these copolymers to compatibilize and blend immiscible PE and iPP.
  • To explore the potential for improved mechanical properties in PE/iPP blends.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis of PE/iPP multiblock copolymers using an isoselective alkene polymerization initiator.
  • Characterization of copolymer architecture and molecular weights.
  • Evaluation of the welding and blending capabilities of the copolymers with commercial PE and iPP grades.

Main Results:

  • Successful synthesis of PE/iPP multiblock copolymers.
  • Demonstrated ability of the copolymers to weld common grades of PE and iPP.
  • Tetrablock copolymers achieved interfacial compatibilization, enabling morphological control.
  • Transformed brittle PE/iPP mixtures into mechanically tough blends.

Conclusions:

  • PE/iPP multiblock copolymers are effective compatibilizers for immiscible polyolefins.
  • The molecular weights and architecture of the block copolymers influence their welding performance.
  • This approach offers a viable route to creating high-performance, recyclable PE/iPP materials.