Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity01:26

Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity

2.7K
Polymerization generates chiral centers along the entire backbone of a polymer chain. Accordingly, the stereochemistry of the substituent group has a significant effect on polymer properties. Polymers formed from monosubstituted alkene monomers feature chiral carbons at every alternate position in the polymer backbone. Relative to the predominant orientation of substituents at the adjacent chiral carbons, the polymer can exist in three different configurations: isotactic, syndiotactic, and...
2.7K
Polymer Classification: Crystallinity01:21

Polymer Classification: Crystallinity

3.2K
Unlike ionic or small covalent molecules, polymers do not form crystalline solids due to the diffusion limitations of their long-chain structures. However, polymers contain microscopic crystalline domains separated by amorphous domains.
Crystalline domains are the regions where polymer chains are aligned in an orderly manner and held together in proximity by intermolecular forces. For example, chains in the crystalline domains of polyethylene and nylon are bound together by van der Waals...
3.2K
Plasticity00:58

Plasticity

2.5K
Plasticity is the property where an object loses its elasticity and undergoes irreversible deformation, even after the deformation forces are eliminated. If a material deforms irreversibly without increasing stress or load, then this is called ideal plasticity. For example, when a force is applied to an aluminum rod, it changes its shape, but it does not return to its original shape once the force is removed. Plastic deformation or ductility is thus a permanent deformation or change in the...
2.5K
Stress-Strain Diagram - Brittle Materials01:24

Stress-Strain Diagram - Brittle Materials

2.8K
Brittle materials, including glass, cast iron, and stone, exhibit unique characteristics. They fracture without considerable change in their elongation rate, indicating that their breaking and ultimate strength are equivalent. Such materials also show lower strain levels at the point of rupture. The failure in brittle materials predominantly results from normal stresses, as evidenced by the rupture created along a surface perpendicular to the applied load. These materials do not display...
2.8K
Plastic Behavior01:21

Plastic Behavior

275
A material's elastic behavior is characterized by the disappearance of stress once the load is removed, allowing the material to return to its original state. However, when stress surpasses the yield point, yielding commences, marking the onset of plastic deformation or permanent set. This change from elastic to plastic behavior is influenced by the peak stress value and the duration before the load is removed. An intriguing observation occurs when a specimen is loaded, unloaded, and...
275
Polymer Classification: Architecture01:14

Polymer Classification: Architecture

3.1K
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...
3.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

<i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> as a model system for studying the effects of porcine rotavirus on intestinal immunity.

Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology·2025
Same author

Shrink or expand? Just relax! Bidirectional grana structural dynamics as early light-induced regulator of photosynthesis.

The New phytologist·2025
Same author

There and Back Again: Recovery of Terephthalic Acid from Enzymatically Hydrolyzed Polyesters for Resynthesis.

ACS sustainable resource management·2025
Same author

Preparation of Block Copolymer-Stabilized Microspheres from Commercial Plastics and Their Use as Microplastic Proxies in Degradation Studies.

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids·2024
Same author

Interpenetrated and Bridged Nanocylinders from Self-Assembled Star Block Copolymers.

Macromolecules·2024
Same author

Unexpected Stress Overshoot in Extensional Flow of Star Polymer Melts.

ACS macro letters·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 21, 2025

Cooling Rate Dependent Ellipsometry Measurements to Determine the Dynamics of Thin Glassy Films
09:32

Cooling Rate Dependent Ellipsometry Measurements to Determine the Dynamics of Thin Glassy Films

Published on: January 26, 2016

8.3K

Highly Anisotropic Glassy Polystyrenes Are Flexible.

Qian Huang1, Jeppe Madsen1, Liyun Yu1

  • 1Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark.

ACS Macro Letters
|May 28, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Stretching polystyrene melts rapidly and quenching creates flexible materials that maintain flexibility for months. This process forms oriented micro/nanofibers, yielding high tensile strength polystyrenes.

More Related Videos

Flexural Rigidity Measurements of Biopolymers Using Gliding Assays
07:55

Flexural Rigidity Measurements of Biopolymers Using Gliding Assays

Published on: November 9, 2012

10.9K
Simple Polyacrylamide-based Multiwell Stiffness Assay for the Study of Stiffness-dependent Cell Responses
07:45

Simple Polyacrylamide-based Multiwell Stiffness Assay for the Study of Stiffness-dependent Cell Responses

Published on: March 25, 2015

20.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 21, 2025

Cooling Rate Dependent Ellipsometry Measurements to Determine the Dynamics of Thin Glassy Films
09:32

Cooling Rate Dependent Ellipsometry Measurements to Determine the Dynamics of Thin Glassy Films

Published on: January 26, 2016

8.3K
Flexural Rigidity Measurements of Biopolymers Using Gliding Assays
07:55

Flexural Rigidity Measurements of Biopolymers Using Gliding Assays

Published on: November 9, 2012

10.9K
Simple Polyacrylamide-based Multiwell Stiffness Assay for the Study of Stiffness-dependent Cell Responses
07:45

Simple Polyacrylamide-based Multiwell Stiffness Assay for the Study of Stiffness-dependent Cell Responses

Published on: March 25, 2015

20.1K

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Polymer Science
  • Mechanical Engineering

Background:

  • Polystyrene is a common thermoplastic with a wide range of applications.
  • Understanding methods to enhance polystyrene's mechanical properties is crucial for advanced material development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate a novel method for enhancing the flexibility and durability of polystyrene.
  • To characterize the microstructural changes and mechanical performance of modified polystyrene.

Main Methods:

  • Polystyrene melts were subjected to high-rate stretching, exceeding the inverse Rouse time.
  • Samples were rapidly quenched below the glass transition temperature to preserve the stretched state.
  • Mechanical testing, including tensile strength measurements, was performed at room temperature.
  • Microstructural analysis using microscopy was conducted to observe nanoscale features.

Main Results:

  • The treated polystyrene exhibited sustained flexibility for over six months.
  • Oriented micro/nanofibers were observed in the flexible samples post-mechanical testing.
  • A tensile strength exceeding 300 MPa was achieved for the flexible polystyrene at room temperature.

Conclusions:

  • Rapid melt stretching followed by quenching is an effective method to produce highly flexible and strong polystyrene.
  • The formation of oriented micro/nanofibers is linked to molecular alignment during the stretching process.
  • This technique offers a pathway to develop advanced polystyrene materials with improved mechanical performance and long-term stability.